Limelight
by TamSibling
Summary: A/N: COMPLETE. Family ties draw Inara and River off the ship and the crew of Serenity must follow to keep them safe. Set on Paquin, post:BDM. Simon:Kaylee, Mal:Inara. PG to NC-17.
1. Prologue

LIMELIGHT: Prologue

**LIMELIGHT: Prologue**

Timing: Post-BDM

Pairings: Kaylee/Simon, Mal/Inara

Rating: PG to NC-17 – there are also so scary concepts in here folks, so please heed warnings at the top of the chapters

Summary: Family ties cause Inara to leave the Serenity under suspicious circumstances and River volunteers to go with her. After the women have been gone for a few months, Mal, Simon and the rest of the crew decide to investigate and end up crossing a very powerful man on the planet of Paquin.

A/N: This story came to me after I read the Firefly Roleplaying Guide and found out that Paquin is like a planet-sized Atlantic City – full of different types of theaters, performances and amusements. It also has it's seedy side.

-- --

River was on the bridge, her knees pulled into her chest, her head cocked a bit to the side as she stared out into the black. As she listened to nothing, her right hand snaked out towards the console and hovered over one button, depressing it just as the incoming wave announced itself.

Pulling herself upright, River greeted the stranger and then hit the shipboard comm, sending a call to Inara's shuttle.

"Inara?"

Looking up from her book, Inara closed the tome and headed for the screen. "Yes, River?"

"You have a wave," the young woman answered, her voice soft and toneless.

Frowning slightly, Inara found she was curious. Since she had left the Guild a little over three months ago, personal waves being sent to her were few and far between. Taking a seat, she lifted the ornate drape from in front of the screen and told the pilot. "Go ahead and patch it through."

The black, shiny square flickered once and then resolved into the image of a face and Inara inhaled sharply as recognition came. Her eyes wide, it took a few minutes for her to find her voice, but when she did it was low and shaky. "What is it?"

-- --

"Zoe, you seen my mechanic?" The tall woman turned at the sound of Mal's annoyance, hiding a small smile behind her mug of tea.

"Did you check the infirmary?" she asked, watching as the captain entered the galley and headed for the stove, pouring himself a cup in the process.

"O' course, I did," Mal said in exasperation, leaning against the counter. "I checked the infirmary, the engine room, the cargo bay, Simon's bunk, Kaylee's bunk an' the bridge."

"Not the shower room," River sing-songed as she entered, sitting next to Zoe and smiling at the woman as she pulled her previously abandoned drawing pad and pencils towards her.

Grimacing, Mal suddenly found the thought of tea or any thing for that matter, disgusting. Chucking the rest of the liquid down the sink, he looked back to River and asked, "You sure?"

Her eyes big and all-knowing, River didn't even answer his silly question just stared for a moment, before again beginning to draw. Muttering a curse, Mal turned on his heel and stalked off, Zoe's voice calling after him. "Be sure to knock first."

-- --

Shaking his head slowly from side to side and wondering how exactly it was that his medic had not yet gotten his mechanic pregnant, what with all the ruttin', Mal found himself stepping into Inara's shuttle, feeling a bit weary from his day. He paused for a moment in the threshold considering how far he and the shuttle's occupant had come in the five months since Miranda.

It had almost been instantaneous, their relationship; which is to say they had both finally wised up after dancing around each other for close to two years. But still, even though Mal had tried to fight his feelings with all he had, it had been the most blessed and unbelievable of moments when he'd finally taken Inara in his arms and she had come willingly. These five months really had been something.

With a small sigh, he finally pushed open the shuttle door and held the fabric curtain back to step inside. As he brought the dimly lit room into focus, he paused, his brow furrowing as he watched Inara hurry about, moving from the cockpit to the bed, where she had a bag open and was placing things into it.

Looking up at his entrance, Inara did not greet him, but only continued her packing, rushing about. Mal crossed his arms over his chest, cocking an eyebrow at her. As she emerged from the bathroom, a few toiletries in her hands, he asked quietly, "Goin' on a trip?"

Not facing him, she said, "I guess you could say that." As she shoved a few of her more utilitarian clothes into the bag, she asked, "We're about, what? A three day ride from Paquin? By shuttle?"

Nodding once, Mal circled around the bed and sat on the edge. "I'd reckon' that's 'bout right." Reaching out, he placed his hand over one of hers, causing her to finally pause. "Feelin' like a bit o' culture?"

Paquin was known throughout the 'verse for two things: a myriad of artistic and cultural offerings and the seediest side of entertainment one could imagine. In all, not the friendliest of planets, although definitely better than most of the ones he and his ship seemed to frequent.

Smiling tightly to him, Inara pulled her hand away easily and moved to pick up a few more things across the shuttle. "In a way; I just got a wave from an old friend who will be on Paquin next week. I haven't seen her in ages, so I thought that perhaps I could now, since we're relatively close."

Mal believed her story about as much as he believed planets were made of ice cream. As she bent low over one of her trunks rummaging through it, Mal decided that maybe now was the time to confront her on her obvious play to deceive him.

Walking towards her quietly, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as she straightened, causing her to literally jump a bit in his arms as she let out a surprised, "Oh!"

Knowing now that something was really wrong as Inara was a woman trained to anticipate and adjust to a man's touch, Mal turned her in his embrace and said softly, "How's about you tell me the truth?"

Inara met his gaze with her most unaffected expression and smiled brilliantly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mal," she told him easily, willing her body to relax. "I told you, I got a wave from an old friend who mentioned she'd be on Paquin. And I'd like to go see her." Placing a hand to his face, she lowered her voice and teased, "Unless of course, you'd like to spend a few days at a spa with me, getting facials and the like?"

Frowning at her, Mal's eyes roved over her face looking for the place where he could call her on the lie. There was something decidedly not right about any of this, but as she now fixed him with that big smile, her eyes dancing with a bit of mystery and passion, he quickly found himself losing the ability for any coherent thought. Grimacing once, he asked, "You're sure? Just a little girl's getaway?"

Smiling to him again, Inara leaned in and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "I'm sure. I was even thinking of taking River. I'm sure Simon and Kaylee could use a break from all her taunting," she added, stepping around him and continuing to pack, having to force herself to steady her hands, to move at a controlled pace. It would do no good to raise Mal's suspicions again.

Watching her for another minute, Mal drifted over towards the couch and sat down heavily. Thinking on her last statement, he admitted, "Yeah, River has been pretty impossible since Simon an' Kaylee started … well, you know," he mumbled.

Glancing to him with a gleam in her eyes, Inara prodded him gently, "You know, Mal, you are a grown man. It's okay to say sex."

Clapping his hands over his ears, he shouted to drown her out. "I don't wanna hear that, I don't wanna think 'bout it an' I definitely don't wanna see it." Looking back to her, he saw that she was struggling to contain her laughter and he was determined to make her see the severity of the situation. "I caught 'em in the shower room today, 'Nara. The shower room! That's the place we go to get clean!"

"Yes, Mal it is. I'm quite comforted that as the ship's captain you have such an astute understanding of your craft." Her eyes were dancing with laughter now and Mal found himself lunging across the room towards her, grabbing her around the waist and falling onto the bed with her.

Her body resting atop his, Inara gazed into his eyes for a moment, still laughing a bit. But as his hand ran along her cheek and to the back of her neck she found her mood sobering. His eyes were full of concern now, where moments before they had been alit with merriment. Apparently she had not convinced him of her innocence as soundly as she'd thought.

Placing her hand against his cheek, Inara leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to his mouth, knowing exactly how to ply his lips to get him to deepen the contact. She waited and teased him lightly with her tongue, almost counting down in her head until the moment his arms tightened around her, pressing her body into his, making her feel every muscle and desire. With practiced ease, Inara gave into him and his touch, feeling a bit guilty for so unabashedly using her learned wiles on him.

But she had to get off at Paquin and she had to do it alone. And if that meant making love to Mal in order to take his mind off of it, that's what she would do. Of course, she thought to herself, grinning a bit against his mouth, even as his hands roamed over her breasts, teasing and caressing the flesh there, it wasn't the worst thing she could think of.

-- --

In the middle of the ship's sleep cycle, Inara snuck out of her shuttle, leaving a sleeping and sated Mal behind. On slippered feet she glided down to the passenger dorms and stopped short in front of River's bunk, surprised to see the girl's door open.

Stepping into the doorway, her eyes went a bit bigger as she saw the young woman staring back at her, a small knapsack on the bed in front of her. "We're going on a trip," she told Inara confidently.

Holding up a hand to quiet her, Inara looked out into the empty hall and then slid the screen shut, before moving to the bunk and sitting in front of River. "River, I wouldn't normally ask a favor like this from you, but-"

Placing a hand to the older woman's knee, wide brown eyes met each other as the young reader said, "It's okay. I can help."

Her eyes misting, Inara blinked rapidly and clutched the girl's hand. "Can you? Really?"

Nodding once, River's face broke into a wide grin, as she said, "Yes, I can. And, I'll get to dance."

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 08:32

The Aujhord'hui ballet company, financed by Amabassador Isaiah Creighton, announced a cancellation in its schedule today. Stating that their prima ballerina had fallen ill, the company has cancelled this evening's and tomorrow evening's performances of Sleeping Beauty.

Ticket refunds are available by contacting the box office.

-- --


	2. Chapter 1

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 1

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 1**

-- --

White, hot lights burned through air and dust particles, shining down from the high catwalks and riggings above. They obscured everything beyond the footlights: the crowd, the orchestra, the theater. They illuminated her, making her costumed body shine with beauty and grace as she lifted one perfectly positioned leg, performed one perfectly executed movement after another.

The stage beneath her slipper-shod feet was worn and giving, allowing each of the dancers to execute their choreography without the added knee pain or muscle aches. The place smelled a bit too – kind of a combination of pancake makeup, dust and sweat. It was a smell as familiar to River as any and as the crowd she could not see applauded and the heavy red curtain fell to the stage, River felt a wide grin settle onto her features.

She took her bow with the rest of the company and then took one by herself, basking in the glow of wanted attention. Her lithe arm extending to acknowledge the conductor, River's face shined as she turned her eyes back up towards the lights and let their heat fall on her for just a moment more.

By the time she had divested herself of her costume and makeup, Inara was waiting by the stage door to walk back to their apartment. They had only been on Paquin for a few weeks now, having convinced Mal and the crew to let them be as River was having so much fun performing, but already it felt a bit like a real home and River knew she would miss it when they finally had to leave.

The two women walked in a companionable silence, arm in arm, and River felt Inara's thoughts grow heavy the farther they traveled from the theater. "You performed beautifully tonight, River," she said softly, as she had every night over the past week after every one of River's performances.

Smiling to her, River admitted, "It's fun. Makes me feel normal." Squeezing the woman's hand gently, she waited until Inara's large eyes had settled on her face before adding, "But I know it's not why we're here. Just part of the plan."

Inara nodded once and they walked the last few yards in silence not speaking of their true mission until they were safely ensconced in their listening device-free apartment. Before they'd left Serenity, River had absconded a few of Mal's more interesting criminal devices, including a bug detector and an encryption source box, giving the women a sense of security, no matter how presumed it was.

After showering quickly, River dressed in her warm pajamas and curled up on the couch with a cup of tea. Inara sat opposite her, her gaze again lost. Not turning to look to her friend, she asked softly, "Anything yet?"

Shaking her head, River told her, "No. There's no one there who seems to fit the profile." As Inara sighed heavily and blinked back a few tears, River reached out a hand to her. "We'll find her."

"What if it's too late?" Inara asked, her voice cracking a bit. "She could already be dead."

"No," River told Inara firmly, getting her to again look in her direction. "No, she's not. According to the local police reports that's not the point. The point is to make money off of them. They can't do that if they kill them."

Her hand flying to her mouth, Inara stifled a sob and River realized she had said the wrong thing, again. She wasn't trying to be insensitive, she was just trying to help, but as the weeks had passed on Paquin and they had been unable to locate Inara's missing younger sister, the older woman had been much more prone to outbursts like this.

Inara's sister, Malena, had been a principal ballerina with the company which River was now dancing. A little over a month ago, the beautiful and graceful girl had disappeared and no one had heard from her since. It had been Inara's parents, still on Sihnon, who had waved to tell her the news, and while they believed Malena to be dead, Inara couldn't. She could not accept the fact that her baby sister might be gone, so she had packed her things, enlisted the help of the young reader who sat beside her now and lifted off for Paquin.

Of course one of the more foolish things she'd ever done had been keeping Mal in the dark, but Inara did not want him involved in this. She didn't want him risking his life, as she knew he would, to save her sister. Inara could justify endangering River's life because she knew that out of the entire crew, the teenager was the only one who had the strength, skill and talent to avoid death at all costs. Inara feared of course that River would be hurt, but it wasn't the kind of paralyzing, overwhelming fear she felt whenever Mal went on a job. And she had too much at stake, too much to lose to be overpowered by that kind of trepidation now.

Clearing her eyes of tears she knew would do no good to cry, Inara turned back to River and instructed, "Okay, go through them again. Every person, every worker, every dancer."

With a small sigh, River did as she was told, informing Inara on all the denizens of the large ballet company and its theater. The younger woman knew that this listing, which had become a nightly ritual, wouldn't do them any good. Whoever had taken Malena was not a regular presence with the company; if he or she were, River would have sensed them by now, would have been able to pick them out of the crowd as they would not have been able to hide their duplicitous nature from her gift. But River continued with her explanation, knowing that it helped Inara to dwell on these people, to think that her sister's kidnapper was just a logical thought or two away.

As she stopped speaking, River again gauged Inara's reaction and it seemed that tonight was the night she would finally admit defeat. "You're right," she said quietly, rising to place her tea cup in the sink and head to bed. "Whoever took Malena isn't still there."

River watched with sad eyes as Inara floated into her bedroom without another word and closed the door. Staring at the smooth surface for another minute, River turned to regard the night sky through the open window as she murmured, "No, but they'll be back."

-- --

Review: Paquin, Rogers City, 22:15

In just the few short weeks she has been dancing with them, River Thomas has raised the artistry of Aujhord'hui's production of Sleeping Beauty. Filling in for the ailing Malena Serra, Thomas' beauty is unparalleled, but it is her grace that has made her a dancer and performer to be envied.

Dancing the title role, it is hard to image any other ballerina filling her toe shoes. Lithely flitting about the stage, Thomas' delicate movements are combined with a fierce emotionality that brings each step of choreography to life for audiences, night after night.

It is the hope of this reviewer that Ms. Thomas decides to stay with Aujord'hui even after Ms. Serra's return. It would be quite a shame to lose such a natural talent and a beautiful treasure.

-- --

"Inara, dear, it's so good to see you."

Smiling at her old friend with practiced ease, Inara brushed a kiss to both of her cheeks and said quietly, "You too, Hellen, thank you for seeing me."

"Of course, mei mei." The older woman shut the door to the small training house, gesturing Inara into a well-appointed study. "Just because you've retired doesn't mean we aren't still friends."

Returning the kind smile the woman favored her with, Inara strode to the comfortable chair she indicated and sat. In moments a young girl, no doubt a companion in training, entered the room with a tea service, offering both of the women their drinks before curtsying slightly and leaving them again in peace.

Hellen watched Inara carefully as the dark-haired woman raised her teacup to he lips and took a drink. To anyone else, Inara's movements and demeanor would seem to be the height of sophistication. But Hellen had known Inara for close to two decades and she could see the small wrinkles in her friend's normally pristine visage.

Waiting to see if her friend might volunteer her secret, Hellen set her cup in her lap and finally said, "Inara, you didn't come all this way to have tea." As the woman's big brown eyes snapped to her face, Hellen smiled warmly, the lines at the corners of her blue eyes crinkling with the gesture and asked, "What is it?"

Sighing lightly, Inara placed her cup onto the table by her chair, fearing for the delicate china's safety if it stayed within her trembling hands. Looking to Hellen, Inara smiled at her friend's placid expression. There had never been much that could ruffle the slightly older woman. Her blonde locks had always been perfectly coiffed; her makeup and clothes the definition of meticulous. She had actually shown Inara up on several occasions, but she'd never done it purposefully or with malice. No, being perfect was just part of Hellen's personality, and Inara could not fault her for that.

Again resting her eyes on her friend's gaze, she admitted quietly, "I'm not on Paquin strictly for fun, Hellen." Taking a deep breath, she stated, "I was actually hoping you could share with me some of the details behind the disappearances."

Her features immediately hardening, Hellen sat up a bit straighter and took another sip of tea. As the House Priestess of this small outpost, the girls in training and the Companions on Paquin were Hellen's responsibility and Inara knew that by asking about the kidnappings, she had just insulted her.

"I'm not accusing you of anything, Hellen, or passing judgment," Inara hastened to add, leaning forward and resting a light hand against her friend's knee. "I just need to know everything you do." Pleading with her, she said, "Please, it's very important."

With a small sigh of her own, Hellen dropped her eyes to her lap and then looked back to her friend. "How did you even know of those kidnappings? We've worked very hard with the local authorities to keep it off the record."

Smiling tightly, Inara thought how ridiculously humorous it was to think of anyone managing to keep something from a gifted reader. "I have a few sources, but no one else knows."

"What do you want to know?" the older woman asked, settling back in her chair. Although her posture was relaxed, her whole body had tensed the minute Inara had mentioned the unsavory topic and while she felt a bit of guilt for causing her friend discomfort, Inara quickly pushed it aside. Hellen might know something that could lead her to Malena and so she would do whatever it took.

"Any and all the details you have," Inara said, settling back as well. As Hellen hesitated to begin, she prompted, "When did the first one happen?"

Rubbing a hand over her tired eyes, Hellen took a deep breath and said, "About three months ago. She was new, had left the training house no more than a month before. Her name is Sylvie. She'd contracted with just a couple of clients, but everything had gone amazingly well."

"The night she disappeared, was there anything off, anything different?" Inara bit her lip to keep herself from spewing forth a multitude of questions. She needed to wait for the answers, needed to be patient, lest she miss something.

Her eyes clouding a bit as she allowed her mind to wander back in time, Hellen shook her head gently and said, "No, not that I can think of. Her client was a visitor from off world. He took Sylvie to the ballet and they had a very nice evening. He left Paquin the following morning, and then Sylvie was gone. He was questioned, his ship searched, his records examined, but the authorities deemed him innocent. And then, when Rachelle disappeared a few weeks later …" Hellen's voice trailed off. It was awful to think of her girls gone, in the blink of an eye. She had tried not to dwell, tried to hope for the best, but as the weeks had dragged on, Hellen found her hope ebbing.

"Did Rachelle go to the ballet as well?" Inara questioned, looking for the trail of clues she needed.

Nodding once, Hellen said, "Yes, she did. The authorities drew that connection as well. They even staked out the theater for a few nights, but they were unable to identify any persons of interest." Pausing again, Hellen's eyes darted to her friend and she gasped slightly as she saw the pained expression that had assaulted Inara's features.

Leaning forward and gripping her hand, she asked quietly, "Mei mei, are you all right?"

Lost in thought, it took Inara a few moments to come back to the present. Looking to Hellen with a meek smile, she said quietly, "No, Hellen, not really." Swallowing thickly, she finally admitted, "My sister has disappeared as well. About a month ago now."

Her eyes misting with tears, Hellen sympathized. "Oh, mei mei, I'm so sorry." A sudden thought striking her, she asked, "You aren't actually looking for her yourself?"

Nodding once, Inara smiled at her friend's concern. "Don't worry, I'm not here alone. And I'm being very careful." Stopping for a moment, Inara choked back the tears she felt and said, "I have to find her, Hellen."

Hellen understood; she felt the same about her girls, but in an effort to keep the rest of her charges safe and at a loss for even where to begin, Hellen had chosen to let the local authorities deal with the disappearances. Of course, that hadn't gotten them very far.

"Have you found anything yet?" she questioned quietly.

"No," Inara told her, her voice a bit rough as she tried to quell her rising fear. "No, not yet." Dropping her gaze to study her hands in her lap, Inara let out a small sigh and wished again, for about the hundredth time in the two weeks she'd been on Paquin that she had told Mal what was happening. The fear of her sister's well-being was causing Inara to lose it, more often than she would have otherwise, and while Inara did not want to draw Mal into the line of fire, she also knew that were he here, he would be a solid rock for her to lean against. At the moment, she felt like a discarded rag, being blown about by wind gusts, each more fierce than the last.

Shaking the image of Mal's smile from her mind, Inara rose and said quietly, "I really should go. There are a few other things I want to check out."

Hellen rose with her, wishing she'd had more information to share. As they walked, arm-in-arm towards the door, Hellen told her, "If I hear anything, I will let you know. Where are you staying?"

Inara gave her the address, promising, "And I will do likewise." Again kissing her friend's cheeks, Inara squeezed her hands gently and said, "Thank you for sharing what you know. If I find Malena, I will do all I can to bring back Sylvie and Rachelle as well."

Smiling kindly at her, Hellen rested a light hand to her face and said, "I know you will."

Nodding once more, Inara turned and left, glancing up to see the sun falling closer to the horizon. It was almost night time and Inara needed to get to the theater. She and River had a deal: neither of them was to be out at night alone. Every evening, right before sunset, Inara would make her way to the theater, helping River to change and apply her makeup, before sitting in the audience to watch the show. Then she would meet the young woman at the stage door and they would walk home together. It wasn't much, in way of protection, but it had to be better than nothing and Inara was not about to take any unnecessary risks. Not before she found her sister, not before she made sure Malena was all right.

-- --


	3. Chapter 2

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 2

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 2**

Rating: R

-- --

"_You're so pretty, Inara."_

_With a patient smile that the teenager had learned, she turned to regard her little sister, the ten-year-old's big, brown doe eyes staring at her. "I wish I was that pretty," she sighed wistfully, watching in fascination as Inara fixed a bejeweled clip into her hair._

"_You are, Laney," she told her gently, rising from her vanity and sitting next to the girl on the bed. "You know you are."_

_Shaking her head, she told her, "No, I'm not. I'm too skinny, and my hair's too thin and I'm always sick."_

_Again smiling at her, Inara wrapped some of her sister's straight brown hair behind her ear. Pressing a kiss to her cheek and leaving the imprint of red lips there, Inara told her, "You are beautiful, mei mei. And some day you will be gorgeous."_

_Grinning, Malena reached her small hand to the cheek Inara had kissed and asked breathlessly, "Did you?"_

_Nodding once, Inara hid a smile behind her hand, as her sister jumped from the bed and glanced in the mirror looking to her cheek and seeing the perfect imprint of her sister's lips. Squealing, she said, "Yup, just like grandmamma."_

_Chuckling out loud now, Inara went to the girl and began to tickle her mercilessly, Malena's laughter filling her ears like the ringing of little bells._

"Inara. Wake up."

With a start, Inara came to, blinking her eyes rapidly to clear the dream and bring her visitor into focus. With a smile, River told her, "You have a wave."

Sighing, Inara closed her eyes and asked, "Mal?"

"Of course," River told her, knowing that her friend was trying to avoid her lover. River knew how difficult the past few weeks had been for Inara and because she was ridiculously stubborn and just a bit overprotective she had refused to tell Mal any of what was going on. River had tried to convince her otherwise, tried to let her know that captain daddy was more than capable of taking care of himself, but with that oftentimes infuriatingly patient grin of hers, Inara had simply denied the truth to River's words and shouldered the burden on her own.

"Did you tell him I was out?" Inara asked, her hand still over her eyes. She was getting less and less sleep as this second week dragged on into a third and Inara knew that her defenses were weakened. Pretty soon, Mal was going to insist she come clean.

"He doesn't believe me," River reminded her. Tugging on the woman's hand, she pulled her into a sitting position and then handed over her robe. "The sooner you talk to him, the better."

Grimacing at that logic, Inara took the silk robe from her friend's hand and wrapped it around herself, shaking out her hair as she strode into the living room and toward the wave screen. Pausing for a moment to look at her image in a mirror, she wished she had something to conceal the bags under her eyes. Sighing, as she knew the cover up would be futile, she made it over to the screen and sat down with her biggest smile on her face.

"Hey stranger," she told him, her voice affecting an easy tone. From across the room, she felt River's eyes on her as the young woman perched herself on the edge of the couch and watched.

"Hey yourself," he responded, his voice soft. Studying her for a moment and sizing her up, his eyes colored with a bit of concern as he asked, "You all right?"

"Fine," Inara lied, still keeping that big grin on her face. "You just woke me up is all."

"Oh, well, shame on me then," Mal teased. His eyes again raking over her beautiful face, he said, "Not that you need the beauty sleep, o' course."

She smiled at his compliment and they held each other's gazes for a moment. As his blue eyes again darkened with concern, she felt her heart beat sharply against her chest. Oh, how she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. She couldn't risk him charging in and disrupting the reconnaissance she and River had done over the past weeks; she couldn't risk him coming in shooting and ending up with a bullet in the procees.

"'Nara," he said, his voice no more than a sigh. Pausing for a moment, he opened his mouth and closed it at least four times, before saying finally, "I miss you, ai ren."

Allowing just a bit of her true emotion to shine through, Inara admitted, "I miss you too, Mal. But you should see River, she is by far the best dancer on the stage and she's having so much fun." Inara's eyes lit with joy as she recalled her friend's performance from just the night before. Although Inara had been watching each and every show, River seemed to radiate a new kind of grace, a new level of beauty whenever she took the stage; it was astounding.

"Yeah, well eventually she's gonna hafta lower her standards an' come back an' pilot my boat," he said gruffly, raising his voice a bit as he knew River was no doubt listening.

With a smile the young woman bounded off the couch and stuck her head into his line of vision. "Just a couple more weeks, captain daddy?" she asked, begged actually. "Please?"

Grimacing, Mal said, "Well, I guess, although yer brother's really the one you should be askin'. He's missin' ya, River."

Shaking her head emphatically, River knew that was a lie; and a way for Mal to cover up the fact that it was really he who was missing her. "No, Simon's too busy with pleasing Kaylee. He doesn't miss me much at all."

Cursing silently under his breath, Mal knew he should have known better than to try and fool a reader. "Well, be that as it may," he stated, again allowing his eyes to rest on Inara. "I'll feel a might better when you both get back home."

"We will, too, Mal," Inara told him truthfully, never having quite longed for Serenity as she did at this moment. Clearing her throat she pretended to glance at something off screen and then turned back to him. "Sweetie, I have to go, I'm meeting a friend for a tea."

Raising his eyebrows suspiciously, Inara answered his unspoken question. "A friend, Mal, not a client."

Releasing an audible sigh, Mal said, "Well, all right then. Have fun."

Inara nodded once, and the two of them held the other's gaze before she swept up and away from the screen. They did not quite say 'I love you' yet and had definitely not reached that point in their relationship where they would say it over a wave.

As Inara left, River sat back in the stool she'd vacated and smiled wide at the captain. "Don't worry, daddy. We'll be back soon."

He grumbled something inaudible and then asked, "You wanna talk to yer brother?"

Her eyes lit at the prospect, but just the thought of Simon allowed River to feel him closer than she had for weeks, and she knew it was the wrong moment. Shaking her head, she said, "No, he's busy."

"Whatda ya mean, busy?" Mal said, not getting it. "There ain't nobody hurt on my boat – at the moment," he added. "What exactly's he busy doin'?"

With an enigmatic smile River regarded him quietly and Mal immediately wished he hadn't asked the question. Rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, he looked to her and asked incredulously, "Again?"

Nodding once, River smiled at him, and then had to suppress a chuckle, as Mal reached for the shipboard comm muttering, "Well, I'll put a stop right to that. Ruttin' in the middle o' the work day."

As he punched the comm, River's chin fell to her chest. There was no way Simon would ever believe she hadn't put the captain up to this little interruption.

-- --

"Oh … my … God! Simon!"

Kaylee's keening cry was enough to make Simon lose all control and with one more thrust and a cry of his own, he released hotly into her, his head falling to her sweat-slicked shoulder. As they both lay trembling a bit and panting, Simon looked up into Kaylee's sated eyes and kissed her swollen lips tenderly. "Amazing," he murmured against her mouth.

Giggling at his comment, she rolled with him as he fell onto his back, still deep within her and she snuggled in tight, feeling warm and deliciously full. "I'll say," she answered finally, her voice slurred with content and bit of sleepiness. It was, after all, the fourth time today they'd had sex, and even Kaylee, for as energetic as she was, needed to rest.

Just as Simon thought sleep might claim him, the loud and annoyed voice of the captain punctuated the gentle quietness of Kaylee's bunk, making them both jump and thoroughly ruining their moment. "Simon? You in there … again?!"

Mal's exasperated tone brought a scowl to Simon's features, while it brought a small grin to Kaylee's. As he looked to her and saw the mirth in her eyes, Simon leaned in and kissed her neck, asking, "What's so funny?"

Before she could answer, Mal bellowed. "Simon, gorramit! You better answer me."

Grumbling, Simon reached over Kaylee's naked form and slapped the comm on the bunk's wall. "Are you injured, captain?" he asked, causing Kaylee to stifle giggle by burying her face in his chest.

Mumbling something that Simon was fairly certain he would not want to hear, he waited. "No, I ain't injured. But I waved 'Nara an' yer sis wants to talk with ya." Pausing for a moment, he said sarcastically, "You do 'member your sis, don'tcha? Smart girl, a little crazy, goes by the name River?"

Glaring at the comm, Simon retorted, "Yes, captain. And I also seem to remember that she can kill you with her brain."

As silence filled the comm and Kaylee bit her lip to keep her giggles in, Mal finally said, "You gonna get up here or not?"

Looking down to Kaylee she smiled brightly and nodded once and Simon answered, "I'll be there in a second."

Flipping off the channel, Simon again kissed Kaylee gently and then rolled out of bed, searching for his discarded clothes. Kaylee watched him with blatant desire, pouting as he again covered his beautiful body; stupid clothes.

Turning to her to let her know he'd be back in a minute, Simon's breath caught in his throat. Kaylee, so comfortable in her own skin, so at peace with everything and everyone, was curled up on the bunk, her naked body displayed for him to see, her arms snaked up underneath her pillow. Her wide green eyes were open and looking right at him, and one of her grand smiles was again on her face.

Feeling himself ready to take her again, Simon moved forward and kissed her lightly, whispering, "Don't move."

Giggling, Kaylee nodded and watched him leave, smiling even wider as he paused on the ladder out of her bunk and repeated, "I mean it, don't move."

She nodded once and then waited until he'd gone, the hatch clanging closed behind him, before rolling onto her back and stretching. She wouldn't move; she had no problem lying here, bare, in her warm bunk waiting for that incredibly swai and sexy man to come back and love her again. Nope, moving was not part of the plan.

-- --

As Mal scowled and relinquished his seat in front of the wave to Simon, he strode from the bridge. Zoe, who had been listening to his whole exchange with both Inara and River, followed him, keeping her mouth shut until the captain asked for her opinion. She knew he would; that's why he'd asked her to eavesdrop in the first place.

Stepping into the galley, Zoe took a seat at the table, waiting for Mal to fix his regular cup of coffee and join her. When he did, he finally turned his concerned blue eyes to his friend and asked, "Well?"

Her arms crossed over her chest, Zoe nodded once. "Oh, she is definitely hidin' somethin' an' whatever it is, it's bad."

With a heavy sigh, Mal dropped his chin to his chest, and took a few steadying breaths. He really hadn't wanted to believe that Inara was lying to him; he'd wanted to trust that she was indeed meeting a friend on Paquin and that in the course of their visit, River had just decided to try out for the ballet company, the young woman feeling the need to dance and be free. It had seemed fairly convincing at the time, and Mal probably would never have been suspicious, if he hadn't seen how bothered Inara was the night before she'd left, when he'd found her in the shuttle packing hurriedly and refusing to talk with him.

Lifting his eyes back to his first mate and dearest friend, he asked, "You think she's in trouble?"

Pursing her lips in thought, Zoe answered, "I don't know, if'n she was in trouble, I don't think she would have so readily gone off lookin' for it. No, I think somethin' or someone drew her to Paquin an' they're the one's in trouble."

Nodding once, Zoe's assessment was pretty much right in line with Mal's own. Inara possessed an innate sense of duty and honor, much like Mal himself, and that extended to people she cared about. If someone she knew was in a bit of a tight spot, Inara would stubbornly try to fix it herself, even if she knew going in she was out of her league. It was part of her stubbornness too, another trait they shared and while Mal normally found it a bit endearing, at the moment, it was just downright irritating.

Zoe watched her friend carefully, noting the way his eyes flashed with equal parts concern and annoyance. She knew that Inara's deception did not sit well with him. If there was one thing Mal could not abide it was a liar, especially when that person was as close to him as Inara. But Zoe also knew that Mal understood sometimes there were reasons and motivations for dishonest actions, and he was clinging desperately to the belief right now that the woman he loved had a damn good reason for keeping him in the dark.

"What do you wanna do?" she questioned quietly, her eyes still on his face.

With a sigh, Mal took a sip of his coffee, grimaced, and then said, "Well, we gotta finish this job." It was a needless statement as that was obvious. They couldn't very well keep flying around the 'verse carrying a cargo hold full of lumber. "An' then I say we head for Paquin. Get to the bottom of whatever mess Inara thinks she's handlin'."

"You gonna tell her we're comin'?" Zoe asked.

Looking to her with a slightly hurt expression, he answered, "How big a fool you think I am?"

Deciding not to answer the question for fear it could come back and haunt her later, Zoe simply sat back in her chair. As she watched Mal continue to struggle with his fear that something was truly wrong, she hoped that whatever secret Inara was keeping was justification for causing her friend so much heartache.

-- --

"Simon, it's so much fun. The audience applauds and cheers every night." River's face shone with happiness and Simon could only smile back at her as she continued. "They think I'm beautiful and graceful. They think I dance like an angel," she said wistfully, having picked up this thought from more than a few of the ballet's patrons.

With another smile, this one tinged with a bit of sadness, Simon said softly, "That's because you are mei mei; beautiful and graceful. And you have always danced like an angel."

Smirking at him, she said, "You're supposed to say that. You're my brother."

Chuckling, Simon paused a moment and regarded her again. She looked fine; better than fine actually and it made Simon's heart sing. She was smiling wide, her big brown eyes lit with a fire of joy he had not seen there for quite some time – possibly since before she'd gone to the Academy. And while Simon was slightly put out that any of the things he had tried to do for her hadn't brought about this change, he was also thrilled to see her so deliriously content.

"I wish you could see me," she said quietly, her voice having dropped a bit so that Inara had no chance to overhear. River knew that the last thing she wanted was the crew of Serenity, and by default, Mal, anywhere near Paquin. But River also knew, with that uncanny ability of hers, that pretty soon both young women were going to need their family close. And if Inara wasn't willing to bring them here, than River would. "I wish you could see me dance," she added, almost wistfully, turning baleful eyes back to her brother's face.

With a smile, Simon told her, "Well, who says I can't? We're almost done with this job, and then I don't see any reason why Mal wouldn't want to come by. I know he wants Inara back on board." Simon thought briefly to the captain's increasing tension over the past few weeks when Inara had been gone, and while it had made the older man a bear to live with, Simon found he could sympathize; he wasn't rightly sure what he'd do if he had to be separated from Kaylee, especially now, when everything was so new.

Nodding eagerly, River beamed and told him, "Yes, you should come. Come soon."

Frowning slightly, Simon studied her closely for a moment and asked, "River? Is there something going on?"

Shaking her head, River told him, "No, I just really want you to see me dance. And the season is almost over."

Satisfied that this was indeed the reason for her veiled urgency, Simon said, "All right, I'll talk to Mal and see if I can get him to give us a timetable." As River's smile again shined at him through the screen, he added, "I miss you, mei mei."

Frowning at him, she crossed her arms and said, "Don't lie. You're enjoying the fact that I'm not there to harass you while you're sexin' Kaylee."

Grimacing at her, Simon murmured, "Brat."

She smiled broadly again and then said, "Tell everyone I said hi. Love you."

"Love you," he answered and then she was gone, the screen winking off.

Rising with a bit of a sigh, Simon was still bothered by River's insistence that they get to Paquin sooner rather than later. While it was a very real possibility that they were literally running out of time, her performance schedule winding down, he also had gotten a read on something else from his baby sister; something more dire than missing the chance to see her perform.

Heading back towards Kaylee, Simon spied Mal and Zoe in the galley and decided that now was as good a time as any to address their itinerary with the captain. Heading into the room, both of his crewmates immediately stopped speaking, only heightening Simon's suspicion in light of the call he'd just had.

Rounding to face Mal, he asked him, "We are going, right?"

Raising curious blue eyes to the boy's face, Mal took a sip of his coffee and asked, "Goin' where?"

"To Paquin," Simon explained, slightly annoyed that Mal was trying to play games. "We need to go."

His curiosity giving way to concern, Mal asked sharply, "Why? Did River tell you somethin'?"

Frowning, Simon took a seat and allowed his gaze to flit over to Zoe's unreadable expression before falling back to the captain's. "Not in so many words, no. But she seems a bit anxious to have us come. I just … Well, I can't shake the feeling that there's more going on here than a simple trip."

Mal cursed silently, more bile burning in his gut as he listened and digested Simon's assessment. That pretty much clinched it; if the boy thought something was up than Mal had been right to be suspicious. Considering that Simon seemed to have the perceptive skills of a blind slug, Mal had to trust that if the doc was picking up on some discomfort, than there was some to be had.

"Hey, you din't forget about me, did ya?" Kaylee's light voice startled them all and as Simon glanced to her, standing in the doorway, in a pair of his pajama pants and one of her flowery tops, his cheeks immediately colored.

"No, of course not," he said, rising to go to her, and ignoring the scowls Mal was shooting in his direction. Taking her hand and leading her into the room, Simon kissed her cheek and told her, "I just needed to talk with Mal about something."

As they came back to the table and Kaylee sat herself in Simon's lap, her arms around his neck, she allowed her green eyes to study her friends. Frowning, she looked back to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Rubbing her back comfortingly, Simon lied, "Nothing, bao bei."

Hitting his shoulder playfully, Kaylee told him, "Simon Tam, you are the worst liar that ever roamed the 'verse. So why don't we try that again?" This time she looked to Mal and asked, "What's wrong?"

Mal looked to his mechanic, noting her wide-eyed expression, her open face full of curiosity and just a bit of concern. "We don't rightly now, mei mei," Mal told her honestly. "Maybe nothin'. We're jus' tryin' to plan a trip to Paquin, so we can see 'Nara."

"Ooh, an' see River dancin'?" she asked excitedly, her eyes lighting as she turned back to Simon, her momentary annoyance with him forgotten.

Smiling at her excitement, Simon brushed some of her hair off her shoulder and said, "That's the plan, yes. River really wants us to see her perform."

"That'll be shiny," Kaylee said dreamily, her eyes glossing over a bit at the thought. She missed the captain's grimace and Simon's hesitant gaze as she leaned her head against his shoulder and added, "I ain't never been to a fancy theater 'fore." Sitting up abruptly, she asked concernedly, "Uh-oh. What am I gonna wear?"

As Kaylee turned to Zoe for advice, Simon and Mal held another gaze full of meaning before both men tried to suppress their own suspicions, each vowing not to worry about something until they knew they had something to really worry about.

-- --

Inara sat with her hands in her lap, the picture of calm. As the officers in the small station bustled by, she kept her eyes focused straight ahead, waiting with as much patience as she could muster. These men were unaccustomed to seeing a Companion of Inara's caliber, and although she was retired, her status did not nullify her years of training in everything from manners to posture to skills of persuasion.

There was really no other explanation for the fact that Inara had managed to get the Police Chief to allow her access to the files of the disappearances. Inara had simply known what she needed and had therefore used every wile Mal had ever accused her to get it. She'd batted her eyelashes, flattered the man, told a few small jokes, made the barest of innuendos and in a flash, the information she'd needed had been laid before her.

She was waiting for the man again now, curious as to whether or not they had any more information. She and River had been on Paquin for a little over three weeks, and Inara was hoping that her constant presence during that time might have spurred the local authorities to look a bit more closely at any and all clues they could find. Of course, the fact that they considered all the disappearance cases to be cold and unrelated, didn't help.

Across the small hallway, the door opened and Chief Becker poked his head out, smiling in her direction. "Miss Serra?"

Returning his smile with a warm one of her own, Inara stood gracefully and entered the small room. Becker was a nice man, close to middle-age with a wife and a family. His salt and pepper hair gave him a distinguished look while his dark brown eyes were always filled with intensity and just a hint of suspicion. He had served his entire career on Paquin, having risen through the ranks as a beat cop to Chief of Police, and only his knowledge of just how unsavory the seedy side of Paquin could be had given him any cause to aid Inara in her quest.

As she took a seat in the chair in front of his desk, the older man asked, "Can I get you something?"

Shaking her head, she told him, "No, I'm fine, thank you." As he resumed his own seat, she asked expectantly, "Do you have any news?"

With a small sigh and a sad expression, Becker leaned forward, his hands clasped on the desk in front of him. "No, Inara, I'm sorry. We've been unable to find anything new in the past week."

It was as she'd suspected, but the news still hit Inara like a swift blow to the gut. She slumped back a bit in the chair, allowing some of her fatigue to show. Raising a shaky hand to her forehead, she asked carefully, "The chances of Malena still being alive are getting worse, aren't they?"

Becker swallowed thickly, noting the woman's distress and having no desire to add to it. But he had to tell the truth; it was part of his oath. "The longer your sister is gone, yes, the chances for her survival diminish." Watching her closely as Inara took a few steadying breaths, he asked concernedly, "Are you feeling all right?"

Inara almost laughed out loud. Was she feeling all right? What kind of question was that? Her sister, her baby sister, had probably been kidnapped by slavers who wanted her for all manner of unsavory reasons and Inara was powerless to help her – of course she wasn't all right.

Collecting herself when she brought her eyes back to the man's face, he saw a control there that had been missing only moments before. "I'd like to see her apartment," Inara stated, knowing that the chances he would allow it were pretty slim. She had been asking since they'd arrived for access to her sister's place and he kept rebuffing her, telling Inara that it was evidence and therefore, could not be contaminated.

But whether it was pity for her or possibly admittance that the room no longer held any useful information, Becker nodded once. "Of course. I'll have someone get you the key."

He rose to leave the room and only after he was gone to Inara blink a few tears from her eyes. Finally, she was going to get to see where her mei mei had been living; maybe there would be something there, in her journals, among her things that would give Inara the clue she needed. Saying a silent prayer that this would be the case, Inara waited impatiently for the man to return.

-- --


	4. Chapter 3

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 3

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 3**

Rating: NC-17

-- --

River arrived at the theater feeling her usual excitement and nervousness at the thought of performing. She loved it; that was the truth. She always had of course, even when she'd been a small girl back on Osiris. Then, when she'd really been too smart for her own good, it had been difficult for her to fit in anywhere, except the stage.

When River had been front and center, dressed in beautiful costumes, her hair and makeup flawless, her steps sure and precise, she had never felt odd or out of place. She'd felt at home. And while she knew Serenity was now her home, the people in it her family, there was something comforting about again being spotlighted on a stage, surrounded by this family of dancers.

With a small sigh, she took a seat in front of her lighted mirror, opening her makeup case and pulling out each of the small containers she would need. Inara had waved to tell her she would be running an errand this evening and would not be able to meet up with her until after her performance. River had warned the woman to be careful, not liking the idea of the two of them altering their routine, but Inara had assured her that she was being escorted by the local authorities to and from Malena's place and she would be fine. Having no concrete reason to disagree with her, River had simply nodded.

As she began brushing her hair back, fixing it into a tight bun, a few of the other ballerinas entered the dressing room, giggling and chattering excitedly. River regarded their reflections in the mirror for a moment and they turned abruptly catching sight of her.

"Oh, River," the red-headed girl said, rushing to her side. "You'll never guess, it's so exciting!"

Smiling at her obvious enthusiasm, River turned to face her and asked, "What's exciting, Delia?"

Her eyes going wide, Delia looked to her friend, Andrea whose eyes were also wide, her lower lip between her teeth in an effort to keep a squeal from escaping. As the raven-haired girl nodded, Delia answered, "Ambassador Creighton is coming tonight. And he's invited all of us to a party after the show."

River nodded once, understanding the girls' excitement. Ambassador Isaiah Creighton was the ballet company's financier. He often attended performances when he was planet side, taking a break from his duties in Parliament. Since River had been with the company he had not been by to see a performance and it intrigued her the way everyone lit up at just the mention of the man's name. He was supposedly very handsome, younger than anyone would expect and of course, incredibly wealthy.

"A party, huh?" River asked, turning back to finish her hair and start on her makeup. "Where?"

"At his mansion," Andrea interjected dreamily. "I've only ever been there once, but it's gorgeous. Crystal chandeliers and gleaming wood floors. Persian rugs and rich tapestries … I love it …" She trailed off with a sigh and Delia and River shared a look.

Cocking an eyebrow to the girl, River teased, "Well, I hope you and his mansion will be very happy together."

As the three of them shared a laugh and then the other girls moved away to get ready, River considered the opportunity to attend a real party. She hadn't been to one since she'd lived on Osiris and even then she'd been forced to leave early, never being old enough to stay up late. She'd never had the opportunity to dance with a handsome man or sample fine champagne. Her brother had of course, danced with plenty of beautiful women and drank the finest of wines, but River's life had never afforded her that opportunity.

Vowing to ask Inara if they could go, River continued to get ready, her pre-performance nerves now mixed with a hint of anticipation.

-- --

Political Brief: Rogers City, Paquin, 15:10

Ambassador Isaiah Creighton – seen here disembarking from his personal transport today – has returned home to Rogers City for a few days to attend to some personal business. The ambassador, who is the main financial backer for the Aujhordui Ballet Company, is expected to attend at least one performance and also visit with his ailing star. He has also announced plans to host a ball for various dignitaries and local celebrities.

The ambassador, currently in between political engagements, often returns to Rogers City, his home for over fifteen years to attend the ballet and keep an eye on some of his other local interests, including a few restaurants in Rogers City's posh upper East side and his business holdings with the Rogers City Gas & Electric Company. He also is frequent visitor at the planetary Governor's mansion, located a few hours away in Hinesburg.

-- --

"I'll wait outside for you, miss," the young officer said as he and Inara reached the closed door to Melena's apartment. Smiling her thanks to him, Inara inserted the key and pushed open the door, entering the room stiffly and shutting herself inside. Reaching for a light switch, Inara flooded the room with a golden glow and stood still for a few minutes, leaning heavily against the door. This place was so very much like her sister; simple in its design and decoration, but aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. As her eyes roamed the room, taking in the low bookshelf filled with older editions of some Earth-that-was classics and the abstract art that adorned the walls, Inara felt her breath catch in her throat,

She closed her eyes for a moment and could picture Malena in this room, entertaining friends, maybe even a suitor or two. Could picture her diminutive sister curled up on the couch with one of those favorite books in her lap, reading as rain beat against the window. Could picture her lying blood and broken on the floor as well, the victim of some horrible crime and with a shiver, Inara shook the image from her mind, opening her eyes and venturing further inside.

As she trailed her hand over the soft couch and the blanket draped there, Inara soon found she had wandered into the bedroom. Her sister's large bed was made, of course, a bevy of pillows and a few stuffed animals sitting at the headboard. With a smile, Inara gravitated towards them, picking up a much-loved bunny that sat in a place of honor directly in the middle. As her fingers gently caressed the worn fur, Inara felt a few more tears pool in her eyes.

"_Is it for me?" Malena asked, her voice breathless as Inara presented her with the white, fluffy animal._

"_Of course, silly," Inara told her, smiling wide as her seven-year-old sister grabbed for the toy and hugged it tightly to her chest. At eleven, Inara felt she was getting a bit too old for toys such as that one and so she had decided to give this latest gift, from a distant aunt, to her little sister. "I figured you could add it to your collection."_

_Her brown eyes going wide, Laney grinned broadly as she looked over her shoulder at the mound of stuffed animals cluttering her bed. She did have quite a few. Again looking to Inara she said, "Yes, but this one's special. I'm going to name her Mei-li."_

_Smiling, Inara translated quietly, "Beautiful." Tapping her finger lightly against her sister's nose, she said, "Just like you."_

_Giggling, Laney shook her head and told her, "No, just like you."_

Shaking her head to clear the memory, Inara placed Mei-li back on the bed, being sure to leave her in the exact position she'd found her. She knew that Laney would be more than a little peeved if Inara disrupted her artful arrangement of her prized possessions.

Blinking her eyes to clear them, Inara's gaze settled on the bedside table before her and she opened the drawer with a shaky hand, hoping she'd find her sister's journal. Malena had always kept one, even as a little, little girl when she could barely right more than a few words; Inara hoped that the private document might now help to shed light on who might have taken her.

Recognizing a faded brown leather book that could only be what she was searching for, Inara reached for it and pulled it out of the drawer and into her lap, her hand passing over something else in the process. Peering forward, Inara took in a collection of pill bottles and felt her breath again hitch in her throat. With wide eyes, she pulled them out and read the labels wishing her mind were playing tricks on her. Not again; it couldn't have happened again.

"_Inara, darling, you should be at the training house," her mother scolded as the sixteen-year-old brushed past her._

_Turning a harsh gaze to the woman, Inara told her defiantly, "No, I should be here. Laney needs me."_

"_There's nothing you can do, Inara," her mother said quietly, following her older daughter as she walked hurriedly towards her sister's room. "The doctors have made her as comfortable as possible."_

_With an even deeper frown, Inara simply pushed ahead, and entered Laney's room, taking a moment to adjust to the dim light. As she blinked her eyes a few times, she took in the sight of her sister's small form, lying in her bed across the way and she rushed to her side instantly._

_Sitting on the edge of the mattress, it took Malena a few minutes to gather the strength to open her eyes to her sister. When she did, Inara had to use all the training she'd recently acquired not to show her sadness at the lifelessness with which sister regarded her. "'Nara?" she asked, her voice hoarse and rough._

_Running a hand through her sister's thinning hair, the treatments making the brown locks even finer than before, Inara smiled at her and said, "Yes, mei mei. It's me."_

"_What are you doing here? You should be at school."_

_Inara smiled at her sister; Laney still didn't fully understand exactly what Inara was going to school to learn as their parents felt it was a little much to share with a twelve-year-old. "It's okay. They said I could take a leave for a while." Squeezing her hand gently, Inara told her, "I have to help you get well first."_

_Smiling sadly to her big sister, Laney shifted a bit to be closer to her and murmured, "I'm not going to get well, Inara. That's what the doctor says."_

_Fighting back tears, Inara leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Yes, you will. And do you know why?"_

_Sighing a bit, Laney repeated the encouragement she knew her sister was hinting at. "Because there's nothing I can't do?"_

_Smiling wide at her, Inara whispered, "Exactly."_

Laney had gotten better too. It had taken about three months and a host of treatments, each one more rigorous than the last, but the cancer had again retreated, and after another three months, when her doctors had deemed her in remission, she had again been up and walking about, playing and laughing and Inara had returned to her studies at the training house.

Trembling, Inara read the labels again and noted the dates. These had been filled recently and were more than half full. Swallowing thickly, Inara's need to find Malena rose tenfold. If a new tumor had been detected than Laney needed these medicines, otherwise, she would die in a lot of pain.

Looking for confirmation that she really didn't need, Inara flipped open the journal she still held and started reading from the back. As her eyes scanned each page, she felt the lump in her throat building, and the tears she had been trying to avoid started rolling down her cheeks. An entry, dated from just a few days before her disappearance told the story, in detached detail, of her condition. The doctors on Paquin believed it to be terminal this time, and the medicines were more to keep the pain at bay than anything else. Laney was getting ready to quit the ballet, finding that her strength was giving out and she could barely make it through her performances any more.

As Inara read more, hearing her sister's pained voice in her head, she felt her tears fall freely and with a stifled sob, she buried her face in her hands, dropping the book onto her bed. She had to find her; she had to find her sister. There was a chance she could save her, she could get her to a good doctor, a better one than the one on Paquin and could help her get well. Inara had always believed there was nothing she and her sister could not do, especially when they did it together. And even though the odds were severely stacked against her, Inara knew, she would hold onto that belief forever.

Managing to collect herself, Inara opened the small satchel she'd brought, Chief Becker having given her permission to take anything she felt she needed. Sticking the medications, the journal and Mei-Li into the bag, Inara rose stiffly and left, her mind whirling with grief and newfound determination.

-- --

Wrapped in Simon's arms, Kaylee's mind was devoid of any real thought, the afterglow of their coupling causing her entire body to feel pleasantly numb. Her head resting against his shoulder, she inhaled the scent of sweat on his skin and grinned wide, knowing she had put it there.

Feeling her mouth turn up as her cheek rubbed against his chest, Simon pressed a kiss into her hair and murmured, "What are you thinking?"

Giggling, she raised her eyes to him, and wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. "That you are the ruttin' sexiest man I've ever seen," she answered truthfully, shifting slightly to press her lips to his, her body rubbing along his side in the process and causing a small groan to escape his mouth.

Pulling her to him more tightly, Simon's hands cradled the back of her head as she deepened their kiss and sighed into him. These past five months, since Miranda, had been a contrast in grief and happiness for them both. Once Simon had recovered and they had finally given into their overwhelming desire for each other, they had found themselves exploring new and uncharted territory; the idea of a committed relationship did not frighten either of them, they only worried that it wouldn't work. That maybe all the build-up to their first time together would only lend itself to disappointment. Luckily, they'd both been dead wrong.

Of course, there had also been the rest of the crew to contend with, the captain still a bit upset that there was such a blatant shipboard romance brewing on his boat. But a few pointed looks from Inara and a few hurt looks from Kaylee had nipped his grousing in the bud and now his comments were meant to be more of a tease. Besides, as Mal and Inara had finally become involved the man really had no leg to stand on.

The only person Simon and Kaylee were still worried about was Zoe. The woman was grieving mightily over the loss of Wash, and neither of the young people liked the thought of rubbing her nose in something she had so recently lost. But with her usual aplomb and stoicism, Zoe had shouldered any discomfort, and let Kaylee know once, in private, that she was happy for the girl and the doc.

As Simon's tongue drove deeper into Kaylee's mouth, she rolled herself on top of him and smiled as she felt his hardening length between them. Ai ya, if he wasn't the best lover she'd ever had. A surprise for her, to be sure, as she had assumed that Simon's lovemaking would resemble his life, a bit measured, a tad in control; but again, she'd been glad to discover she was dead wrong. It seemed doctoring was the only thing Simon did with a dispassionate interest as he had caused Kaylee to reach higher levels of ecstasy than she had ever thought possible. Which, of course, made getting the two of them out of bed nearly impossible.

Flattening herself against his broad chest and rolling her hips over him, Kaylee grinned wickedly as he released another groan, her lips now traveling from his mouth down his neck and over his chest. His warm hands were along her back, causing a tremor to run up her spine and Kaylee smiled again as they ran down to her backside, cupping her to him and positioning his arousal right at her wet entrance.

Looking up to him, she asked, "In a bit of a hurry?"

His eyes full of passion, Simon simply grinned back and told her huskily, "Only to make you cry out my name."

Shivering a bit at the thought, Kaylee let him push against her again, knowing that he would join them and he did. As he slid into her, feeling Kaylee's heat and wetness envelope him, Simon threw his head back on his pillow and squinted his eyes shut against the exquisite feeling, moaning again as she began to move.

Kaylee's own breaths started to come in short pants almost instantly, her body still overly sensitive from their last time. Her head dropped to his shoulder and nipped at the skin there as each of Simon's thrusts brought her closer and closer to her release. It seemed over these months that each time was just a bit different; their pace, their urgency, their desire dictating the reactions of the other, the touch of the other and Kaylee found the unknown of it thrilling beyond words.

As Simon lifted her head from his shoulder and crushed his mouth hungrily to hers, Kaylee cried into his mouth and then moaned again as Simon's release followed hers, his hotness spilling into her. Collapsing onto his broad chest and trying to catch her breath, Kaylee heard his rapid heartbeat beneath her ear and smiled, knowing that her own was beating just as fast. Despite their closeness and the heat they'd just generated, Kaylee felt a shiver wash over her and Simon immediately encircled her with his arms, pulling her tighter, if possible, and getting another whimper of pleasure from her as the motion caused his still buried length to tantalize her.

They lay like that for a long time, and finally, Kaylee rolled off of him, pouting as he moved onto his side as well and slid out of her. Entangling her legs with his, Simon's arm was around her waist as he stared at her, one of her hands running through his hair. As she shivered again, he smiled and reached down to the end of the bed to pull a blanket over them.

Snuggling beneath it, Kaylee asked him, "Did River always dance?"

Slightly surprised by her choice of topic, Simon smiled slightly and nodded once, remembering the happiness on his sister's face each time she'd taken to the stage. "Yes, she started studying ballet when she was very young, around two, I think. Within weeks, she was the best one in the class, far surpassing the girls who were more than twice her age."

Cuddling closer to him, Kaylee felt sleep coming and she let it, more than content to drift off with Simon beside her. "Well, then I can't wait t'see her. When're we gettin' there?"

Kissing her forehead as she buried her head against his chest, Simon's hand ran lightly down her back as he said, "About twelve more hours."

"Mmm, that's good," Kaylee murmured, her eyes heavy with sleep. "Cap'n needs to see 'Nara too. He's real worried 'bout somethin'."

Glancing down at her, Simon was surprised that Kaylee had picked up on Mal's discomfort; not necessarily because she wasn't perceptive, but because it was the first she had ever mentioned it to him. "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged lightly and yawned. "I dunno, he's just a bit too jumpy, 'specially after that wave." Lifting her head to look at him, her eyes held a bit of an accusation as she told him, "Kinda like you."

"Me?" Simon asked incredulous. "What did I do?"

Frowning at him, Kaylee blinked her eyes, trying to wake up as she said, "I already tol' ya you're a bad liar, Simon. Ever since you talked to River last week, somethin's been eatin' at ya."

Returning her slight frown, he asked, "Then why didn't you ask me about it?"

She shrugged lightly again and knew that this time she would not be able to fend off sleep. "I figured you'd tell me when you're ready," she murmured, her voice lowering and within minutes, whether Simon was keeping a secret from her or not, she was out.

Simon pulled her a bit closer to him, his cheek resting against her soft hair. She was right of course, no surprise to him. River's wave had set him on edge, but he'd thought he'd managed to hide it pretty well. With a small sigh, he realized that hiding things from Kaylee while not only foolish, was apparently an exercise in futility, as she had learned to read him pretty well.

Wondering why exactly it was that the two most important women in his life could read his emotions better than he could himself, Simon settled into the mattress, Kaylee's warm form beside him and tried to sleep. It took a while though, the trepidation he'd felt after River's message still with him.


	5. Chapter 4

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 4

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 4**

-- --

River waited impatiently at the stage door, looking for Inara. The other dancers had already gone off to the ambassador's estate and River had really wanted to follow them. But she had promised Inara that they would meet up after each performance, and she didn't want to cause her friend an undue worry.

As the minutes ticked by, River's annoyance gave way to concern as she felt Inara's rising sadness approaching. Straightening and slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked towards the corner of the building where she knew Inara would appear. Almost walking into her, the older woman stumbled back a bit. "Oh!"

"Sorry," River told her quietly, reaching out a hand to steady her. Studying her pained expression in the dim light of a street lamp, River asked her, "Is everything okay?"

Shaking her head, Inara said, "I went to Malena's apartment and I … I found some things," she finished quietly, gripping the bag in her hands tightly.

Threading her arm through Inara's the two of them wandered back to their apartment, River's disappointment at missing the party completely forgotten as Inara shared her news.

-- --

"There was a woman at the girl's apartment today." The man, a rough-looking, burly gentleman stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression unreadable as he relayed this disturbing piece of news.

His boss, a younger man with bright blond hair and even brighter hazel eyes, looked to him and nodded once, his face conveying none of his annoyance. "Who was she?"

"We're still working to track that information down, sir," the henchman answered. "We do know she's not from Paquin."

Nodding again, Isaiah Creighton rose to his full height, stepping out from around his desk. Studying the other man's gaze, he instructed, "Tell me as soon as you know, Mitchell." Straightening his jacket, he set his shoulders and plastered his most charming smile to his face. "At the moment, I have a party to host."

-- --

It was early, before dawn, when the chime to Inara and River's apartment sounded and then sounded again. Rising quickly, River cleared the sleep from her mind and almost bounded to the door, as Inara emerged from her room and held up a warning hand. "River, don't. We don't-"

"It's our family," she told the woman, noting the surprised expression that played across her features, as River did open the door revealing Simon, Kaylee and Mal.

"You came," River squealed, throwing herself into her brother's embrace.

Hugging her tightly, Simon told her, "Of course we did, mei mei. I want to see you dance."

As the three of them came into the apartment and River moved to put on a pot of coffee and find some appropriate food, Simon and Kaylee followed, noting the tension in the air as Mal and Inara did not speak, but only stared at one another.

Her arms over her chest, her expression haughty, Inara asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Mimicking her posture, Mal told her, "Well, it's nice to see you too, darlin'."

Rolling her eyes, Inara told him, "You're the one who sneaks up on me and now you're upset at my less than stellar reception?" Shaking her head slightly, she muttered, "Unbelievable."

"Hey, I wasn't sneakin'," Mal lied, moving towards her and stopping again as she shot him a hard glare. "Okay, maybe I was sneakin' a bit, but 'Nara-" Dropping his voice, his eyes lost their look of annoyance as he murmured, "I missed you."

Damn it, Inara thought to herself. This was why she hadn't wanted him here; looking at his concerned expression now, knowing that the only thing keeping her from his embrace was her own stubbornness and about a foot of space, Inara felt her resolve weakening. She felt her knees wobbling and her head spinning, both from her growing fatigue and the strain of her emotions.

Reaching out a steadying hand to the wall, Mal's eyes darted down the length of her trembling arm and ignoring her angry look, he moved towards her, his hands on her shoulders. "You all right, darlin'?"

As she again looked up into his face, she thought about continuing to lie, thought about pretending that she was all right, that everything was fine, but he was so close now, and while she didn't want to forfeit her independence, while she wanted to cling to her resolve, she couldn't do it. She was tired, so incredibly tired of being brave, of worrying over her sister, night after night alone. And now, the knowledge that wherever Laney was she was suffering from the pain of her cancer … it was just too much.

Tears welling in her eyes that Inara refused to cry, she shook her head just slightly and let out a pent-up sigh. "No," she told him shakily, her eyes dropping to study the floor. "No, Mal, I'm not." Looking up to him, she said softly, "I really missed you too."

Not caring about the details at this particular moment, Mal simply pulled her into a tight embrace and Inara literally fell against him, the last few remnants of her strength giving out as she felt his arms go around her. Concerned by the feeling of her sinking into him, Mal picked her up gently and wandered into the closest bedroom, which he knew instantly was hers by the sweet smell that permeated it.

Laying her down on the bed, he pulled the covers over her and asked quietly, "When's the last time you slept?"

Shaking her head, Inara sighed softly. "I don't know. I got a few hours of sleep last night, I think." Her voice was growing weaker by the moment, her body finally relaxing to the point where she felt she could drift off.

"'Nara," Mal sighed, his hand brushing against her face. "That ain't good, you need to sleep, ai ren."

Again shaking her head fervently, Inara grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "No, I have to tell you what's happening," she said urgently, even as a violent yawn consumed her.

"It can wait a few hours," he told her, gently pushing her back into the pillows. "Sleep first, then we'll talk."

She wanted to tell him that it couldn't wait, that her sister had waited long enough to be saved, but Inara felt her eyes closing, felt her body betraying her, its exhaustion too overwhelming. "Just a few hours," she managed to murmur, her head lolling to the side as she drifted off.

"Yeah," Mal murmured, kissing her forehead lightly. "A few hours."

-- --

"So, River what's it like?" Kaylee's excited eyes, despite the earliness of the hour were locked on River's face as the younger girl sat with her knees pulled into her chest. The three of them were around the kitchen table, a few pastries and pieces of fruit laid out for them to eat, mugs of coffee set before them. Simon and Kaylee were sitting close, of course, Kaylee's hand in Simon's. "I mean, do people throw roses at ya? Do johnnies meet ya at the stage door every night?"

Simon almost choked on his drink at this last and with a slightly stern expression looked to his sister and said, "I hope not."

With a small sigh and a giggle, River rolled her eyes and said, "No, no admirers. Sometimes I get flowers. Sometimes Inara brings me some. Sometimes I get them from a few of the patrons, mostly older gentlemen who appreciate my talent." She said this last with a sigh of regret that Kaylee picked up on instantly.

Her features full of empathy, Kaylee sat forward and squeezed River's hand. "Don'tcha worry none, sweetie," she assured. "A girl as pretty as you, you'll have a beau soon 'nough."

"I beg your pardon?" Simon asked, his incredulous gaze darting between the two of them. Being a man and being Simon, he had completely missed this underlying subtext in their conversation.

Rolling their eyes at him, River and Kaylee both murmured simultaneously, "Boob," and then giggled heartily, much to Simon's chagrin.

As Kaylee was about to ask something else about River's now glamorous life as a ballerina, Mal entered the kitchen, an unreadable expression on his features. Tensing instantly, River's face blanched as she felt his concern. Before she could say anything, Mal said roughly, "Hey, Simon, can I see you for a minute?"

Turning to regard the man, Simon's features immediately clouded with worry as he rose and said, "Of course, captain."

Kaylee and River watched them go, and when Kaylee turned an equally concerned gaze to the young reader, she saw River's own impassable look. "What's goin' on?" Kaylee asked urgently, again squeezing the girl's hand,

"The truth is out, can't hide it anymore," River murmured cryptically, before rising and heading out after the men, Kaylee on her heels.

They were talking in hushed tones across the living room as the girls entered and Mal snapped his eyes up to them, hiding whatever it was in his hands. With his own sad eyes, Simon looked to Kaylee and then to River. Pointing to the pill bottles the captain was trying to hide, Simon asked, "Mei mei, do you know about these?"

Nodding once, River went to the captain's side and said quietly, "It's okay, daddy. Not what you think."

Mal nodded imperceptibly, a bit comforted by River's assessment; he supposed that if anyone were to know what exactly was happening, it would be the young woman who looked to him now.

"What're you doing?"

All eyes in the room turned at the sound of Inara's sleep-laden voice as she stood in the doorway. Her eyes filling instantly with anger, she strode towards Mal and ripped the bottles from his hands. "Where did you get these?" she demanded, not at all caring that they had an audience.

"I was just lookin' 'round darlin', an' I found 'em," Mal tried to explain, the excuse lame to his own ears.

Her eyes blazing, Inara's body trembled a bit with her contained anger. "You were looking through my things?" she asked, wondering why she was surprised. Mal had never been able to mind his own business. "Don't you have any respect for my privacy?"

His own anger on the rise, Mal told her, "You're the one who started all this lyin'. Maybe if you'da been truthsome from the start, I wouldn'ta felt I needed to snoop."

They locked gazes for a moment, their stances familiar to the other crewmen in the room. It was the look of stalemate they had shared for the months before Inara had finally left and for the few weeks after Miranda when they'd been reluctant to admit their feelings.

Stepping back from the scene, Simon, Kaylee and River retreated to the other side of the living room, Kaylee's hand clenching Simon's tightly as she watched two of her dearest friends battle it out. River could only watch with anticipation, knowing that the time had come for Inara to enlist the captain's help. She could only hope that the older woman wouldn't let her grief or her intense need for privacy interfere.

"Oh, that's rich, Mal," Inara was yelling, pacing away from him. While she had only slept for about twenty minutes, adrenaline was pumping through her system, and the chemicals were the only thing keeping her on her feet. "That's just priceless, really. My hesitancy to tell you something justifies your invasion of my privacy." Whirling back to face him, she asked, "Do you even listen to yourself when you speak?"

Mal stammered for a minute, unsure of a comeback. He'd seen Inara angry plenty of times before as he was often the cause for her ire, but this right now, was beyond her usual annoyance. And he still wanted an explanation regarding that medicine.

Pointing to the hand that held the bottles, he told her hotly, "I think I deserve to know if'n you're dyin'."

Kaylee gasped at this news, her eyes going wide, a hand covering her mouth. Simon pulled her closer to him, and she leaned into his side, her wide green eyes never leaving Inara's now placid face.

"I'm not dying," she said coolly. Glancing over to Kaylee, she softened her expression and said, "I'm not, truly. These aren't mine."

With an audible sigh, Mal's shoulders slumped forward, a hand rubbing along the back of his neck as some of the tension he felt ebbed away slowly. As silence filled the space between them it was Simon who spoke up. "Then why do you have those medications, Inara? They're only prescribed to lessen intense pain, often associated with a terminal illness."

Swallowing thickly, Inara felt some of that adrenaline recede causing her body to shake. Mal, still not at all sure what was going on, watched her for a moment and so it was River who came to her side just before the woman was about to collapse. Shooting Mal a disgusted scowl, River guided Inara to the couch and helped her sit, taking the pill containers from her hands and setting them on the table in front of her.

Kneeling at her side, River squeezed Inara's hands gently and asked, "Do you want some tea?"

Her eyes having wandered far away, it took Inara a minute to register River's words. The anger that had colored her features just moments before had left her now, her face unbelievably pale, eyes unbelievably dull. Looking to the young girl with a smile, Inara nodded once but did not speak and River returned her smile and then left to fix the soothing drink.

There was still silence in room as River left. Kaylee and Simon had drifted to a loveseat across from the couch and curled up there, Kaylee's face still holding a bit of fear over all that was happening. Simon had an arm around her shoulders and his gaze roamed from Inara to Mal and back again, wondering which of them would end the silence this time.

Inara was quiet for several moments, her eyes finally focusing on the medications before her. She was staring at them, not blinking, her gaze unwavering, when River returned with the mug of tea and gave it to her.

Placing a light hand to Inara's back as she took her first sip, River said quietly, "I think you need to tell them."

Her eyes going wide, Inara knew she was right, but that didn't mean that she instantly wanted to spill her secret. Holding River's gaze for a moment more, she nodded once and set down the teacup with a trembling hand, before turning to face Mal. Reaching out a hand to him, she felt a few more tears come as she whispered, "Mal, please?"

He looked to her for only a moment before moving swiftly to her side. He hadn't meant to upset her so and he didn't like the pain he saw playing across her features again. Something was not right, and Mal also didn't like being kept in the dark. Taking her hand in his, Mal squeezed it gently in reassurance and Inara gave him a weak smile.

Holding his gaze, she spoke to him, although her voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "Those medications aren't mine. They're my sister's," she began quietly, not at all surprised when Mal's eyes widened in surprise.

"I din't know you had a sis," Mal told her, scooting a bit closer as Inara's eyes again pooled with tears. "Is she okay?"

Shaking her head, Inara felt a few of the drops fall and she knew she was powerless to stop them. "No, but her being sick isn't even the worst part." Finally meeting his gaze, Inara had to choke back a sob as she admitted, "She was kidnapped, Mal. She disappeared almost two months ago."

"Oh, 'Nara," Kaylee murmured from across the room, moving to her friend's other side and rubbing her back gently. River stood and sat beside her brother, not at all surprised when Simon's hand covered her own. He knew the pain of losing a sister, of being unable to find her, and he felt an amazing sense of sympathy for their friend. "What happened?"

Looking to Kaylee for a moment, Inara told her, "I don't know. My parents waved about a month ago and said that Laney, Malena my sister, had disappeared." Swallowing hard and trying to steady her voice, Inara turned back to Mal, his concerned blue eyes never having left her face. "They thought she was dead or had run off with someone, but I knew that couldn't be true. I knew Malena wouldn't do that. She loves her life here." Inara stifled a sob as she thought about the last letter she'd received from her little sister, just three months before.

_Inara,_

_I've gotten the lead in my company's production of Sleeping Beauty. I'm so excited. Of course, it's a lot of hard work, but it's worth it, considering there was a time when I wasn't sure I would ever dance again._

_And I've been dating; a few different guys who seem to have taken in interest in me. You'd be very proud. Nobody serious, not yet anyway, but I'll keep trying, keep using those wiles you're so fond of teaching me._

_I miss you, Inara, a lot. I know you've got you're exciting life with your pirate on that ship, but if you get a chance, can you come by for a visit? It's been ages since we've seen each other. Plus, I'd love for you to see me dance._

_Remember, there's nothing us Serra girls can't do._

_Love,_

_Laney_

Inara had not gotten around to writing her back, but she was going to ask if Serenity could come by Paquin and visit. But before she'd had the chance, she'd gotten that wave and then nothing had made sense anymore.

Trying to collect herself, Inara continued in a shaky voice. "Once River and I got here, I went to visit with the local police chief. He confirmed for me that there have been some other disappearances of young women, around Malena's age, but they've been unable to find any leads." Turning fully to face Mal, she grabbed his hands and squeezed tightly, her eyes full of determination and fear. "I had to come, Mal. I had to look for her. I have to find her." At this last statement, her voice finally broke from the weight of her tears, and Inara buried her head in the top of his chest.

Kaylee turned her tear-filled eyes to Simon puzzled by the coldness that she saw reflected back at the scene before them. Deciding to question him on it later, Kaylee continued to rub Inara's back soothingly as the woman cried, her fists wrapping into the front of Mal's shirt.

Mal's arms were around her trembling form in seconds, his head resting against her hair as she sobbed. He wasn't quite sure just what to think. In the span of about five minutes he'd found out that not only did Inara have a younger sister, who was dying, but she had left Serenity to look for said sister, quite possibly having endangered herself in the process; and lied to him about it. Oh, this was not a situation he wanted to be in.

"Have you found anything?" he asked quietly, not surprised when Inara was unable to answer.

River spoke instead. "No, daddy, nothing," she said quietly. "We've been looking, but it's like she literally vanished." Simon's hand tightened over hers and River dropped her eyes to her brother's face. The anger she saw forming there made her blood run cold and she told him quietly, "Don't worry, Simon. I wasn't in any danger. I wanted to come."

His lips pursed, Simon could only look to his sister with an unreadable expression. "We'll talk about it later, mei mei."

But Inara had heard and with an apologetic tone, she pleaded with him. "Simon, I swear, I would never have endangered River's life. I just wanted to find my sister."

Unable to hold back his anger, Simon bit out, "But you did endanger my sister's life, Inara. By even bringing her here. You didn't know enough about the situation to so willingly risk River's life, but you did it anyway."

With that Simon stood and walked across the room, pushing open the balcony door and stepping outside. The sun was just rising and Simon barely took in the scene although Paquin's sun rises and sunsets were some of the most spectacular.

Throwing her friends a small smile of apology, Kaylee rose and went after her boyfriend, sliding the door closed behind her, leaving Mal, Inara and River behind.

With wide eyes, Inara looked to River and breathed, "I'm so sorry, River."

Shaking her head, the younger woman told her, "Don't have to be. I knew what I was getting into." Rising, she squeezed Inara's shoulder gently as she moved back towards her bedroom. "I'll make Simon understand," she assured, before exiting the room.

Silence again built between Mal and Inara and although she was still unsteady on her feet, she could not stand the quiet. Rising slowly, she headed resolutely for her bedroom, lying down with a heavy sigh on the bed, her back towards the door. Mal followed her in a minute, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it for a few minutes. "Go ahead, Mal," she finally said, her voice soft. "Say it."

"Shenme?" he asked, moving around the bed to face her.

Looking to him, she said with a sigh, "Go ahead and yell at me for being reckless and stupid and not telling you the truth." Closing her eyes for a moment, she admitted, "I know you want to."

Swallowing his initial retort, which Mal knew would not help the situation, he rested a light hand against her shoulder and waited for her to again look at him. When her big brown eyes were on his face, he told her quietly, "At this moment, I don't rightly care 'bout any o' that. All I want is for you to get some rest an' for us to find your sis."

"I couldn't pay you," she explained in a low voice, trying to control her tears. "I knew that once I told you, you'd insist on coming, but you needed to work for money, Mal and I didn't have any to pay you with."

Frowning at her, Mal said, "You know I don't care 'bout that. We've managed with little to nothing 'fore, we coulda done it again." Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, he said softly, "Plus, I got a feelin' that ain't the only reason you din't tell me."

"I didn't want you getting hurt," Inara told him, the desperation in her voice evident. Covering his hand with hers, she breathed, "That's why I didn't tell you in the first place. I knew this could be bad and I didn't want you risking your life."

"But it's okay for you to risk yours?" he asked, his tone low, but incredulous. Edging a bit closer, he moved his hand to her cheek and said, "That don't make any ruttin' sense, darlin'."

"It did to me," Inara murmured, again avoiding his gaze. "Don't you remember what happened to Nandi?"

Inhaling sharply at the mention of the now deceased woman, Mal breathed, "O' course I do." Searching her face, he asked, "But what's that gotta do with this?"

"The last time I asked you for a … favor," she said, not at all certain that was the right term. "Someone we both cared about got killed. I couldn't run the risk that that would happen again." Clutching his hand, she finally admitted, "I can't lose you. Not after all we've been through to get here."

Leaning down, Mal pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, not realizing until that light touch how much he'd missed her. "Well, that's where I'd say we're in agreeance," he murmured, his thumb caressing her cheek.

"I have to find her, Mal," she whispered, feeling more tears come. "I have to. Especially now that I know she's sick." With a strangled cry, she admitted, "She must be in so much pain and so scared …" She trailed off, unable to form any more words as her tears again overwhelmed her.

Trying to turn away from him, Mal kept a steady hold on her hand and lied down beside her, holding her close. As Inara curled into him, Mal did his best to ease her fears, but he knew there wasn't much he could do, not until they found Inara's baby sister.

As her sobs died down, Mal whispered, "Get some sleep, darlin', an' when you wake up, we're gonna work a plan, dong ma?"

She nodded once, losing the energy for speech. Cuddling in even closer, Inara murmured, "I'm really glad you're here."

Brushing a kiss against her forehead, Mal told her, "So am I, darlin'. So am I."

-- --


	6. Chapter 5

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 5

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 5**

-- --

Kaylee had come onto the patio to speak with Simon, to try and smooth his obviously hurt feelings, but the sunrise before her had erased any other thought from her mind.

"It's so pretty," she breathed, not even aware she'd spoken out loud until Simon turned back to look at her. While he was still angry at Inara for what she'd done, the look on Kaylee's face as the oranges and reds of dawn lit up the sky easily took his breath away. Kaylee was so amazingly beautiful to him – well, to anyone with a set of eyes – but what Simon realized any time they were planet side was that she belonged in a natural environment with the sun shining down on her face and the wind swirling about her hair. She was undeniably pretty in the blackness of space, but she was downright gorgeous in the light of the day.

Catching his eyes on her, Kaylee blushed sheepishly as she'd been caught gaping and moved to his side. Pulling her eyes with difficulty from the horizon, she rested a light hand to his shoulder and asked, "You okay?"

"How could Inara do that?" Simon asked quietly, his eyes still focused on the sunrise. "I mean, I out of all people understand the lengths a person will go to for a sibling. Why did she endanger River's life that way?"

"She didn't Simon." River's voice startled them both and they turned to look at her. She had dressed for the day, donning one of her slip dresses she was so fond of wearing and as she walked over to them, the morning air twirled her loose hair around her shoulders and neck. Looking to her brother, she told him, "I knew why Inara wanted me to go. I agreed to come."

"Well, maybe I should be upset with you," Simon told her sharply, turning to fully face his sister. Kaylee stepped back, having ended up between the warring siblings before, and she watched now, gnawing on her lower lip, as they resolved this latest issue. "You should have told me, River."

"I knew you wouldn't let me go," she explained, stepping closer and placing her hand over his. "And Inara was going to come here, regardless. I couldn't let her come alone." Smiling to him as he again studied her, she rose up to her full height and said, "I'm a big girl now. Don't need your permission."

Grimacing, Simon muttered, "That's what I'm afraid of."

Kissing him lightly on the cheek, River knew his anger had passed. He was still concerned, still upset that she had not come to him, but Simon did understand that she was older, saner and quickly moving beyond his control. And while Simon did not like any of those realities, he couldn't very well deny them either.

Tugging on his hand, she smiled brightly at him and said, "Come on."

Reaching for Kaylee's hand as River pulled them back inside and towards the door, the young couple shared a smile as Kaylee asked, "Where're we goin', sweetie?"

"To the carnival," she said happily, her face lighting with joy. She'd wanted to go since she and Inara had come to Paquin, the bright lights and games and rides calling to her. But Inara had not been in the mood and so River had been biding her time, hoping that when her brother and family got her she could convince them to go.

Sharing another look, this one a bit more concerned, Simon paused, forcing River to turn to look at him. "I don't know, mei mei." Glancing over his shoulder towards Inara's closed bedroom door, he said, "Maybe we should wait and see what the captain and Inara want to do."

Shaking her head, River insisted, "They're sleeping. Inara needs rest first." Smiling to Kaylee, she leaned in and told her, "They've got strawberry ice cream."

As the young mechanic's eyes lit with anticipation and she let out a small squeal, Simon relented with a little nod, following both of the girls out into the morning.

-- --

"_Come on, Laney, keep up." Inara's exasperation was evident in her tone as the two girls trudged along from the hover car stop towards their family's estate. Their mother had sent them into town to gather last minute supplies for the party that evening and Inara did not want to be late. As it was she was going to have to rush to get ready._

_Grimacing, Malena tried to balance the heavy package she was carrying, but it was too big for her nine-year-old self and with a heavy sigh, she felt herself pitch forward, crashing into the ground._

_Inara turned at the sound, ready to scold the girl again, but at the sight of her sister, unconscious and bleeding, the thirteen-year-old could only scream, loud and long. Rushing to her sister's side, Inara's trembling hands looked at the injury, noticing the large gash that ran along the side of her forehead._

_Laney had just gotten out of the hospital about a month ago, after her latest tumor had been found and removed. She'd told Inara and her mother that she was tired, but both women had insisted she go, claiming that maybe she just needed some fresh air. Now, as Inara panicked, she realized how wrong they'd been._

_Resting her hand against her sister's face, Inara felt tears sliding down her cheeks. "Laney, mei mei, wake up." When the girl did not stir, Inara yelled louder, "Laney!"_

_  
She was frozen with fear, uncertain if she should just leave her sister and run for help, or stay with her and hope someone came by. Uncertain what to do, Inara continued to whimper, "Laney, Laney, please get up. I'm sorry."_

"'Nara." Mal had awoken to the sound of Inara's cries and he watched her now as she thrashed beside him. Tears had fallen in her sleep wetting her cheeks, and her face was contorted with pain. When his voice did not reach her, he sat up and shook her shoulder lightly, calling again, "'Nara."

With a violent gasp, Inara awoke suddenly, her eyes flying open as she sat bolt upright in bed, trembling. Glancing around the room with confusion, Inara murmured, "Laney," before the reality of where she was came rushing back.

Mal watched her for a moment and then gently laid a hand to her shoulder, causing her to jump again. As he retracted the hand and Inara turned to him, her eyes again filled with tears and she asked, "Mal?"

Nodding once, he told her, "Yeah, darlin'. It's me. You just had a bad dream is all."

Inara returned the nod, wiping at her cheeks as a few more tears fell. She wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes for a moment and muttering something Mal could not hear. Then, with a swiftness he had not anticipated, she rose, heading for her dresser across the room and opening drawers, pulling out clothes and draping them over her arm.

Unsure what else to do, Mal continued to watch her, noting the practiced step she took. Her hands still shook a bit as she reached for a few of the items on the top of the dresser, a clip for her hair, some perfume, but for the most part she was calm and collected, no other outward sign of the terror she'd just felt.

As she moved to head to the bathroom, not bothering to give Mal a look, he rose and stood in her way. Looking to him with a forced patience, she said, "Mal, I have to shower."

Resting his hands on her shoulders, he asked, her softly, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Shaking her head resolutely, Inara said, "No, I just want to shower, so we can head out and find my sister." As she continued to stare him down, her face a mask of coolness, Mal relented and stepped aside, watching as she strode into the room and shut the door. In a second he heard the water start to run and he called, "I'll make some coffee, rustle up some chow."

"Okay," was her muffled response, and shaking his head in puzzlement, Mal left the room.

Inara heard the outer door open and close and as she knew Mal was gone, she slowly sank to the edge of the tub, her arms still wrapped tightly around herself and cried, allowing the running water to drown out the noise.

-- --

"She wasn't there last night," Isaiah whined, looking to Mitchell with a pout. "Wasn't the point of leaking the party to those two chatter boxes to get her here?"

Nodding once, Mitchell told him tightly, "She ended up waiting for a friend." As his boss puzzled out this information, the man elaborated, "The same woman who went to the Serra girl's apartment yesterday."

With newfound interest lighting his youthful and handsome features, Isaiah turned and asked, "Really?"

Having known that would peak the ambassador's curiosity, Mitchell shared a small smile with him and said, "It would appear that enlisting Miss Tam into your little project might solve two of our problems."

"How so?" the other man asked, moving to the sideboard to pour himself a brandy, before taking a seat on one of his fine leather couches.

"Well, they've been very cautious since arriving on Paquin," Mitchell explained, his eyes following his boss' every move. "If she disappears, never to be heard from again, I highly doubt her friend will stay here, all by herself."

Frowning, Isaiah saw a hole in that logic. "Or it could just convince her that something really is going on and cause her to increase her efforts." Taking a sip of the warm, smooth liquid, he said, "However, it's been a little over two months since I've brought in a new girl and the natives are getting restless. I don't want a riot," he said, the two men sharing a wicked grin. "And I've had my eye on River since we cast her."

Which was the truth; Isaiah had seen her audition feed, as he did with all of his dancers, and River had captivated him. She was creature of uncompromising grace and beauty, so much so that he still wasn't convinced she wasn't a construct of his mind. He had known she would be the next one to join his little pet project and he had been more than disappointed when she hadn't arrived, as they had planned, the previous evening.

No, he wanted her there, wanted her to perform for him and then he would turn her loose with the rest of the girls. Downing the last of his drink, he made a decision. Rising and heading back to his desk as he did have work to do for the day, he ordered, "She's to be taken tonight, after the show." As Mitchell turned to leave, ready to carry out the order, the ambassador's voice called him back. "And bring her here first. We'll deliver her to the site first thing in the morning."

With another nod and a shared grin, Mitchell left and Isaiah tried to concentrate on his work, doing his best to banish the beautiful image of River from his mind.

-- --

"I want to ride that one," River proclaimed, pointing to the tall Ferris wheel that sat at the perimeter of the fairgrounds.

Taking in its height and no doubt shoddy construction, Simon frowned and said, "I don't know, mei mei."

Turning to him with a patented look of annoyance, River simply held out her hand, palm up and waited. After a moment, with a resigned sigh, Simon deposited the token in her hand and watched as she bounded away, the cotton candy she'd been eating discarded in a waste bin.

Simon's face broke into a wide grin as she turned back to him and Kaylee before getting in one of the ride's baskets and waved. Kaylee waved back and then looked to Simon delighting in the genuine smile that was all over his face. Pressing a kiss to his cheek to get his attention, when he'd turned to her, Kaylee told him, "Don't look now, Simon, but I do believe you're havin' fun."

Giving her a look of mock indignation, Simon squeezed her tighter to his side and steered her towards the midway, knowing River would have no problem finding them when she was ready. "I know how to have fun," he told her, again grinning.

Pausing in front of one of the many game tents, Kaylee pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest. Cocking her head to the side, she still had the brilliant smile on her face as she challenged, "Prove it." Glancing to the booth, her eyes lit as she saw a big stuffed bear hanging as a prize. Pointing to it, she told him, "Win me that."

Looking to the toy, Simon asked her, "Kaylee, where is that thing going to fit in your bunk?"

Shrugging, Kaylee told him coyly, "Well, I can sleep with 'im."

Pulling her to him as she tried to stifle a laugh, Simon dipped his head towards hers and said dryly, "I'm to be replaced by a stuffed bear. I'm fairly certain I'm offended."

Wrapping her arms around him, Kaylee pressed herself as tight to him as possible, her eyes twinkling as he hissed between his teeth at the contact. "Oh, don' worry none, sweetie," she told him kissing along his face and to his ear. "That bear can't hol' a candle to you," she finished, lightly pinching his bottom before she nipped just a bit at his ear.

Chuckling at her, Simon kissed her soundly and then backed towards the booth. "All right, if my fair lady wants that prize, than she shall have it."

Kaylee squealed with delight, clapping her hands in excitement and bouncing just a bit. Turning to the carnie, Simon handed over the requisite number of coins and hefted the balls into his hands, taking aim at the empty milk jugs.

Almost all of their tokens later, Kaylee had the bear under her arm, her other one wrapped around Simon's waist as they sat and waited for River to return. "It ain't no big deal, honey," she reassured him for about the thousandth time. "It would make sense you ain't too good at carnival games. You prolly ain't never been to one 'fore."

Sullenly, Simon kicked at some dirt with his toe as he said, "Well, no, but still." Holding up his hands in front of his face, he turned to Kaylee and said, "These hands once reattached a girl's whole leg, they've saved the captain's life, your life, River's life, more than once," he said in exasperation. "And yet, I can't win at a stupid carnival game."

"It's all 'bout hand-eye coordination, sweetie," Kaylee tried to explain, again. Ai ya, the man's ego was really bruised. "I got it, you don't."

Frowning at her, Simon said, "Kaylee, as a surgeon I have to have excellent hand-eye coordination."

Always looking to the bright side, she responded, "Well, then, maybe we just need to practice." As her statement did nothing to cheer him, Kaylee thought of something else. Leaning in towards him, she whispered, "You know, you forgot to mention something else those hands are pretty good at." With a wink, she pressed a lingering kiss to his mouth and all of Simon's annoyance at the stupid game fled.

"Yes, practice. Practice would be good," Simon murmured against her mouth as she shifted forward and swung her legs over his lap.

"It can be arranged," she told him, kissing him again.

The two of them were so lost in each other, which was pretty much status quo that they did not see River approach. As the young woman watched them seemingly try and suck the other one's face off, she finally got disgusted enough to interrupt them. "Ahem."

Breaking apart with a bit of embarrassment, they both looked to her. Kaylee recovered first. "Did ya have fun, sweetie?"

She nodded and then reached for Kaylee's hand to pull her up. "We should head back. I want to take a nap before the show tonight." As the three of them headed for the exit, River turned to look to her brother and asked, "You're coming right?"

Smiling to her, Simon said, "Of course, mei mei, I wouldn't miss it."

Giving the girl her own smile, Kaylee concurred, "Yeah, River. I've been dyin' to see ya. Simon says you're real good."

Beaming from ear to ear, River couldn't believe that her family was going to see her dance. She was so excited in fact that she was nervous and it was nerves she would chalk her trepidation up to for the rest of the day; until it was too late.

-- --

Jayne, Zoe, Mal and Inara were circled around the kitchen table in the apartment when the other three returned. With an annoyed expression at the happy look on Kaylee's face, Jayne growled, "'Bout time." Looking to the big bear Kaylee had trapped under her arm, the merc asked, "Damn. Don't tell me the doc won that for ya?"

Smiling wide, Kaylee said, "Yup, he did," turning that big smile to Simon as he silently thanked her for telling the lie. Placing the toy near the door, the three of them entered the room and took in the serious faces of everyone else. "What's been goin' on here?" Kaylee asked, leaning into Simon's side as she felt a sudden chill.

Looking to her with a small smile, Inara said, "Not much, Kaylee. I was just trying to fill them in on finding my sister."

Feeling immediate shame that they had been out having fun, instead of here with the rest of the crew, Kaylee circled the table to her friend's side. "I'm sorry, 'Nara. River really wanted to go an' I ain't been to a fair in a real long time, and you was sleepin', so we-"

Placing a hand to the sweet girl's cheek, Inara told her, "It's fine, mei mei." Looking to River who was still standing near the entryway, Inara added, "River's been more than patient with me, she deserves to have some fun finally."

Kaylee nodded once, pressing a kiss to Inara's cheek before she went back to Simon's side. River looked to all of them for a moment and then said, "I'm going to take a nap, before the show." Glancing back to your brother, she asked urgently, "You're still coming, right?"

Smiling at her reassuringly, Simon squeezed her hand and said, "Of course, mei mei." His eyes roving over to Mal, he added, "I don't think anyone will have a problem with Kaylee and I coming to see you."

"No, no, 'course not," Mal muttered, not at all missing Simon's not-so-subtle hint to give them permission. "I'm just sorry we can't go too, albatross."

River beamed at him and then at Simon and Kaylee, before heading for her room. After the girl had left, Zoe spoke up. "Ah, sir, why can't we?"

Frowning at her, Mal asked, "Why can't we what?"

"Go to the ballet," Zoe elaborated, noting the confused and, in Jayne's case horrified, expressions she was getting. "Look, it seems that outta all that 'Nara told us, the ballet company or that theater is the common denominator. Maybe all of us should be headin' in there, keepin' our eyes and ears peeled for any other clues."

"Oh hell no," Jayne exclaimed slamming his open hand onto the table. "I ain't goin' to no ruttin' ballet."

Mal looked to the big man and tried to hide the smirk on his face at his obvious discomfort. "Aw, c'mon, Jayne. Jus' think, scantily clad girls in tights, an' you're supposed to look at 'em."

Sitting back in a huff, Jayne crossed his arms over his chest and muttered, "Yeah, but they're all gonna look like moonbrain, skinny an' flat."

"Hey," Simon said with indignation as Zoe cuffed Jayne around the ear. "Don't talk about my sister that way."

Throwing the man a menacing look, Jayne looked back to Mal and saw the enjoyment the captain was getting from his discomfort. "C'mon, Mal truly, don't make me go."

"We're all goin', Jayne so get used to it," Mal said rising. "'Sides, Zoe needs a date."

Her eyes widening imperceptibly, Zoe followed Mal out, muttering, "Sir, did I lose a bet I don't know about?"

As Jayne followed still grumbling, Simon, Inara and Kaylee found another weighty silence falling between them. Looking to Simon sheepishly, the ex-Companion finally said, "Simon, I'm sorry, for mixing River up in all of this." As Simon met her wide brown eyes, he saw genuine regret there and found his own expression softening. "I only did it because I knew she could help. And I knew she could take care of herself."

Moving to her side, Simon squeezed her hand and told her, "Trust me, Inara, if anyone is going to understand what you're going through at this moment, it's me." As Inara smiled weakly to him, she rose and headed for her bedroom. "I think I might go lie down for a bit. Help yourself to whatever you need." Passing Kaylee on her way out of the room, she told the girl, "Come and wake me in an hour and we'll find you something to wear."

Kaylee beamed at the prospect and then watched Inara go, her friend's pace measured and slow, her shoulders sagging a bit under the weight of her worry. Turning back to Simon, she caught him stifling a yawn and teased, "A lil' tired, huh?"

Grinning, he moved out to the living room, pulling Kaylee with him. "Yes, well, apparently not winning at carnival games takes a lot out of you. Plus, we were up ridiculously early this morning," he said with a sigh as he flopped down onto the soft couch.

Curling up beside him, Kaylee leaned against his chest as she said, "An' we didn't get a whole lotta sleep the night 'fore."

Smiling still, Simon pressed a kiss into her hair and murmured, "And why should last night be any different than any other night?"

Kaylee giggled once, tilting her head up to kiss him and then settled back at his side. "Oh, I'm tired," he said heavily, his head falling back to rest against the couch.

"Well, lay down then," Kaylee told him, sitting up and pushing him down in the process. Readjusting, they were both snuggled close, ready to drift off, when Kaylee asked, "You think 'Nara's sister's gonna be okay?"

Simon thought for a moment, his fingers absentmindedly stroking her upper arm as he held her to him. Resting his cheek against her hair, he said, "I don't know. Those medicines she's supposed to be taking …" With a sigh, he admitted, "There is a chance, Kaylee that even if we find her alive, we might be too late."

With a shiver, Kaylee nestled closer to Simon's warm form and tried not to think of what losing a sister might do to Inara.

-- --

When River arrived at the theater, ready to prepare for that night's performance, she could hardly keep the grin from her features. It had been so long since anyone she'd cared about how come to see her doing something good and pure, and she couldn't wait.

Entering the dressing room, she skipped to her spot and stopped short as she took in the sight of the artfully arranged bouquet of two dozen white roses. Her eyes lighting with joy at the sight, she reached for the card and plucked it out, sitting on her stool and hoping that they weren't from Elder McAvoy again. The man was very sweet, kind of like a grandfather, but River really wanted these flowers to be from someone else – maybe even an admirer.

Reading the card, she felt her heart skip a beat although she didn't know why. She'd never met the man before and yet here he was, giving her flowers. Again reading the eight words, that one sentence over and over again, River was humming and smiling as everyone else arrived, her heart light with the thought that just maybe someone, a real someone, might have taken an interest in her.

Of course as she took up her position in the wings, and heard the orchestra tuning, she had no idea how right and how wrong she could be.

-- --


	7. Chapter 6

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 6

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 6**

Rating: R for torture

-- --

Simon could only stare as Kaylee took in the sight of the theater. It was one of the many on Paquin used for ballets, operas and the like and so it was ornate, gold-leafing adorning almost ever surface, floor-to-ceiling canvasses depicting all sorts of images on almost every wall. Of course, Kaylee could not believe the chandelier, a large ornate piece of crystal that was a work of art in itself. As she stared, mouth agape, Simon couldn't help but press a kiss to her cheek.

"Have I told you how amazing you look?" he asked, drawing her wide eyes back to his face.

Smiling demurely, she told him, "Once or twice." Pausing, she grasped his hand excitedly and told him, "But you can say it again."

His eyes sweeping down her beautifully dressed form, they again rested on her face as he said, "You look amazing."

Leaning in to kiss him, Kaylee told him, "You don't look half bad yourself." Giving him the once over, she said, "Kinda reminds me the first day we met."

Simon glanced down to his suit, realizing that it did closely resemble the outfit he'd been wearing that day. This one was a bit fancier of course, a bit dressier as served the occasion, but the cut and style were similar. "When I was an idiot," Simon added, grimacing a bit at the thought.

"No, you was sweet," she told him, the two of them following along behind the others as they were shown to their seats. "Plus, back then all I knew was that I wanted to take a bite outta ya."

She said this last a bit loudly and an older distinguished gentleman raised an eyebrow in their direction. Blushing furiously, Kaylee bowed her head and hurried to her seat as Simon murmured an apology and followed her.

As they settled in, Simon leaned towards her ear and whispered, "Let's keep those thoughts to ourselves for the evening, okay?"

Squeezing his knee, Kaylee's eyes danced as she smiled at him and said, "I'll try."

Simon grinned pressing another kiss to her cheek, before turning his attention forward. They had arrived just in time and as the lights dimmed and the orchestra began, he felt a sense of comfort and peace wash over him. It had been so long since he'd been in this kind of environment; surrounded by people in fancy clothes, surrounded by culture. He didn't really miss his life back on Osiris, for the express fact that it had never really been his, but sometimes he did miss a few of the trappings that had gone along with it.

Glancing over to Kaylee, he saw her eyes transfixed on the stage as the curtain rose and Simon again considered that a woman like her deserved the opportunity to get dressed up and have a night on the town more often. She deserved to have doors opened for her, and chairs held out; to have strangers comment on her beauty, to have ladies envy her. But Simon knew that while those were the things he thought she deserved, Kaylee's own ideas of what her life should be were very different. She was perfectly content on Serenity, engine grease under her fingernails and the occasional reason to head out and get all gussied up. And so Simon had learned how to be content with that as well.

She caught him staring and took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. Leaning over she whispered, "Honey, you can stare at me any time ya want, but I don't know when you'll get another chance to see your sister dancin'." She pressed a light kiss to his cheek as she again straightened and Simon focused his eyes on the stage.

And there was his sister. He would have been able to pick her out anywhere, especially when she was dancing. She looked like a swan, her neck elongated, her arms and legs seemed to be never-ending. As she moved from one step to the next, executing the choreography flawlessly, Simon found himself wholly engrossed until the lights rose for the first intermission.

-- --

Inara and Mal were huddled close in a corner of the crowded lobby. Inara's eyes had barely settled all evening, content instead to roam about the room. Her suspicion and anxiety were getting the better of her and while he knew she had every reason to be upset, he wished she could relax, for just a moment.

Leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek, he murmured against her skin, "You are beautiful."

She smiled quickly at him, still not looking in his direction. When he encircled his hand around her arm and squeezed lightly to get her attention, she did finally bring those big brown eyes to his face. "What?"

"'Nara, you gotta relax," he told her softly, pulling her a bit closer to him. "All this anxiousness ain't good for you. An' if there is someone here we should be keepin' an eye on, you might be tippin' 'em off."

Staring at him for a moment, Inara let out a big breath and nodded. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply a few times and when she again opened her eyes, her expression was one of absolute calm, a smile once again gracing her features. "Better?" she asked, smoothing out the front of her dress.

A bit unsettled that she could so easily fake it, Mal nodded once and said, "A might. Now, is there anybody here you ain't seen before?"

As Inara's eyes again circled the room, she leaned forward and started pointing out a few folks, Mal's mind working overtime, wishing, for her sake, he knew this plan was going to work.

-- --

River quickly shed her makeup and costume, changing back into the clothes she had worn to the theater. Her eyes never drifted far from the beautiful roses as she got ready to leave, but she had decided she would leave them at the theater. Perching the card back inside them, she gazed at them longingly for another moment, before heading out.

Once outside, she had just started to look for her family, when a strong hand closed over her arm. Turning sharply at the touch, a man she did not recognize, looked to her and said in a low voice, "The ambassador would like to see you at his home."

River's eyes lit with a bit of excitement. The card with her bouquet had said: _I missed you at the party last night_. Maybe the ambassador really had sent them, this young and handsome man, having possibly taken an interest in her. But as River concentrated a bit harder on the man who held her now she realized his intentions were not at all good. Her eyes widening a bit more as she sensed his desire to kidnap her, she relaxed a bit in his grip and said quietly, "Of course, I'd be happy to visit with him."

She felt shock register in his mind just as the look passed across his face. Grunting softly, he pulled her down the sidewalk and away from the theater and River let him. She knew her disappearance would frighten Simon and the others and while River did not want that, she also knew this was necessary. If they had any hope of finding Laney or the other girls than River was going to have to be kidnapped, just as they were.

With a slight shiver as she realized that whatever fate was to befall her would not be pleasant, River was jerked by her captor into an alley. As he covered her mouth with a chloroform soaked rag, River was assaulted with unconsciousness. Her last coherent thought was that she would survive long enough to find Laney and get her back to Inara.

-- --

Simon and Kaylee walked slowly out of the theater, being pushed along by the crowd of people. As they wove their way to the edge of the building so they could go and meet River, Kaylee paused for a moment, a hand on his arm. Looking to her, he asked, "Are you okay?"

She nodded once, tilting her head to the side and asked, "Did River always dance like that?"

Simon thought on it for a moment and said, "Yes, she's always been very good. Although I would say that her performance tonight was fueled by a bit more emotion than technique." Taking Kaylee's hand in his own, he started walking again as he continued. "Her teachers, when she was younger, always complained that River was brilliant at execution, but she never brought the appropriate feeling to the piece." With a sigh, he admitted, "I suppose her time at the Academy helped that along."

Kaylee was quiet for another moment, the noise of the crowd dying away as they passed along the side of the building. "River really coulda done anythin'," she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

When Simon turned to look at her again, he was slightly surprised to see a few tears in her eyes. "Bao bei?" he asked quietly, resting a hand to her cheek. As Kaylee again looked to him, he said, "You're not all right."

Shaking her head slowly, Kaylee told him, "I just keep thinkin', 'bout River and 'Nara's sister, Laney. I mean, they both never did nothin' an' yet there's people, bad people who wanna hurt 'em. That ain't right." As Simon stepped closer to try and embrace her, Kaylee backed up and told him, "I try not to be sad 'bout it, I hate cryin' over it. I wish I could get mad like the cap'n or do somethin' smart like you, I wish there was somethin' I could do, but I can't an' … an' I hate it," she finished again, dropping her eyes to the pavement as she sniffled.

"Kaylee, you do something, you just don't realize it," Simon told her gently, not at all surprised when she raised her tear-filled eyes to regard him.

"What?" she asked sullenly, stepping closer to him again.

"You love people," Simon told him earnestly, his hand again resting on her cheek. "River wouldn't be half as sane as she is right now if it weren't for your friendship." Leaning his forehead against hers, he added, "And I wouldn't be half as happy as I am right now if it weren't for you."

Shrugging lightly, Kaylee said softly, "Don't seem like enough."

Kissing her lightly, Simon wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, "Trust me, Kaylee, it never does. But it's enough for me and it's enough for River."

With a heavy sigh, she leaned against him and tried to shake the sad thoughts from her head. Looking back to him, she said, "She was real good though, Simon. You should be proud."

A smile again gracing his features, Simon thought of his sister, up on the stage and he murmured, "Oh, I am, bao bei."

-- --

Mal and Inara lingered in the lobby for a while, Zoe and Jayne having left already to follow a couple that had raised the hairs on the back of Mal's neck. Simon and Kaylee were going to collect River, so he and Inara had taken the opportunity to take one final look at the audience as they filed out of the building. Of course, Mal didn't have a lot of faith that they would be able to spot anyone – they really needed River's talents for that.

Watching as the last couple left, Inara gripped the banister in front of her tightly and lowered her chin to her chest. Resting a light hand on her back, Mal told her softly, "Don't lose hope, 'Nara. We're jus' startin' to look for her."

Turning sad eyes to him, she let him lead her down the stairs as she said, "I know, Mal, but she's been gone for two months, and without her medicines." Inara shuddered to think of the kind of pain her system was suffering. She remembered vividly the kind of agony the cancer had caused her before.

"I know, darlin'," he said, an arm around her shoulders. "But hang in there. If we can find her-"

"Cap'n!"

Kaylee's anguished cry reached them both as they descended the steps to the sidewalk. Running towards them at full bore, Kaylee stopped, panting in front of them, Mal's hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"What is it, Kaylee?" he asked hurriedly, noting the wide-eyed fear on her face.

"It's River," she panted, tears falling silently. "She got snatched."

-- --

When River awoke, her head was pounding, no doubt the aftereffects of the chloroform. Raising her head slowly, the room swam for a moment and River shut her eyes to bring it into focus. When she finally did, she saw that she was on a mini-replica of the stage from the theater, bright, hot lights shining down on her from above. She could see nothing passed them, and with fear churning in her gut as she felt a menacing presence approaching, she slowly sat up.

Looking down, she noted she was not in the same clothes as before. She was dressed in a costume similar to the one she wore in the ballet, only it was a bit more garish, a bit more revealing and River instantly felt dirty wearing it. Swallowing hard, she also noted the chains wrapped around her wrists and she fought to keep from vomiting.

"Ah, you're awake, I see." The disembodied voice echoed in the cavernous room and River held up a hand to block out the light. She wanted to see her attacker; it was the only way she felt certain she could get out of this. "I'm so glad you were able to come this evening. I missed you at the party last night."

"Ambassador," she breathed, her eyes watering a bit as they again strained against the harsh lights. Slowly, she rose on shaky legs and did a slow circle, looking for a way out. Walking towards the edge of the lit area, the voice said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

On cue, a burly bodyguard stepped forward, a bull whip coiled at his side, a baton slapping against his palm. Backing away from him, River coiled her hands around the chains and gripped at them tightly, trying to break them, but it was no use. The metal was unyielding and bit into her flesh and with a cry of failure she let them go, the heavy links falling against her legs as her arms dropped to her sides.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice echoing back in the cavernous room.

There was silence, and then, "I want to watch you dance."

Frowning, River opened her mind to the senses around her and recoiled at the contact. That wasn't all that hun dan wanted; River could feel his lust for her, his depraved desire broadcasting through her mind what he wanted to do to her. Running her hands over her bare arms as she shivered at the thought, she said quietly, "No."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" The voice was taunting, teasing and it only made River more defiant.

"No!" she screamed again, throwing her head back and letting the cry echo off the room's walls.

There was a barely audible sigh, and then, "That's what I thought you said."

River felt the snap of the whip hit her bare back and she fell forward under the hit. She had been so focused on her captor, she had not felt the other man's intent until it was too late. Rising, despite the burning pain of the welt, she turned blazing eyes to him, ready to attack, when another whip struck at her, this one hitting across the back of her legs. Realizing quickly that she was surrounded, River heard music being piped into the space and just as she was about to be struck again, she held up her hands. "All right," she called loudly.

The three men in the room instantly backed down and River stood in the middle of that white hot spotlight, taking a few deep breaths. And then, with a bit of difficulty as the welts stung and the chains around her wrists weighed her down, River began to dance, doing her best to block out her captor's lewd and ugly thoughts.

-- --

Inara, Mal, Simon and Kaylee canvassed the area around the theater, looking for River. As soon as Jayne and Zoe were back, they joined the hunt as well, but an hour later, they had nothing to show for their efforts. Simon, his eyes blazing, would not even look at Kaylee as she tried to comfort him.

Shaking off her hand, he strode towards Inara and bit out, "Are you happy now? My sister's gone. Just like yours!"

"You'll wanna back up there, doc," Mal threatened, stepping between the man and his girl. Kaylee moved forward and tugged on Simon's arm as well, getting him to back down. He wrenched his hand away from her and paced a small path off to the side, trying to do his best not to dwell on where his sister was and what exactly was happening to her.

Inara stared off for a moment, feeling such immense guilt over River's disappearance she could barely stand it. Just as Mal was about to question her, she walked towards the stage door, meeting the kindly old security guard there with a smile.

"Charlie, how are you?" she asked, her voice and visage again the definition of pleasant.

"Well, I'm fine there, Miss Inara. How are you?" The older man tipped his head in her direction, taking in the motley collection of folk who were forming up behind her. "You know these folk?" he asked skeptically, his eyes lingering for a bit on Jayne.

Smiling patiently, she told him, "Yes, I do. We're actually looking for River. Did you see her leave tonight?"

The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "Well, yeah, I did. She was standing out here for just a minute or two and then this bigger gentleman came along and took her off. I thought maybe he was the one who brought her the flowers."

Serenity's crew all digested this information to varying degrees. As Zoe and Jayne stepped forward to get more information regarding where exactly this man had taken River, Inara, Simon, Kaylee and Mal stepped into the back door, Inara leading the way towards the dressing rooms.

It was easy to find River's space as the large bouquet of flowers was a dead giveaway. Moving towards it hurriedly, Inara grabbed the card River had left behind and read the sentence over and over again. With disgust, she sank onto the stool and threw the piece of paper onto the table.

"What is it?" Mal asked, reaching for the card and reading it himself.

"Nothing," Inara said angrily. "It doesn't mean anything"

As Mal passed the card off to Simon and Kaylee, he turned to Inara and told her, "Maybe not to you, but if'n there was a party last night, I'm guessin' somebody else 'round here knows." Taking her hand, he pulled her to her feet and asked, "Now, where do these dancers go after the show?"

-- --

As River had danced, her captor's thoughts had turned more disgusting. She tried desperately to block him out, but it was more and more difficult as his thoughts reached a heightened pitch. Just when she'd said a silent prayer that he hadn't entered the room so she wouldn't have to look at him, she heard a door open, and froze. The younger man strode into the room and stood just in the edge of the light so she could see his face, so she could watch him as he pleasured himself while he looked at her.

Fighting not to wretch, River turned away from him and danced as far as she could without the other men in the room striking at her with their whips or batons. Finally, she felt the man approach and her whole body tensed as she again froze with fear.

Turning to face him, she recoiled in disgust. Had she not just been privy to his debased thoughts, she probably would have found him handsome, as others did. But instead River found him repulsive and she spat in his face to communicate that. Slapping her hard across the cheek in an instant, River's face burned; the mark would no doubt look like a hand print when it bruised. With eyes blazing she turned back to him and watched in horror as he began to undo his trousers.

Using all the self-control she had ever learned, River spoke in a low and steady voice, noting on Creighton's hands froze as she began to lay bare his secrets. "Have to make them hurt. Make them scream. Pain makes them less than you, makes you more than them."

With wide eyes that held a bit of fear and a lot of anger, the ambassador strode forward and gripped her arms roughly, digging his fingers into her flesh. "What are you?" he hissed in her face, his breath hot and heavy.

Not answering him, River pushed herself further into his brain, finding the memories, the moments that had caused this behavior to manifest. Trembling from the horror of them, she continued. "Did you scream? Did you cry out when they hurt you? When they killed your parents, your brother?" Cocking her head to the side, River stared at him with big eyes and murmured, "No, you didn't. You hit, you killed. And you liked it. Like torture, need the control."

"Bi zui!" His hand flew again, striking River hard enough to make her see stars. She tasted blood in her mouth as this last hit caused her to bite down on her tongue. Staggering backward, she had almost regained her balance when he moved towards her again, his mind once again filled of lustful desires and ways to make her scream.

With all the instinct and fight she'd been taught, River jammed her hand up into his face, breaking his nose, while her foot connected sharply with his currently overly sensitive groin. Cringing as he dropped to the floor, River was about to land a roundhouse kick to his head when she felt the sting of more whips. She felt to the ground, unable to stay standing as they lashed at her legs and back.

Curling into a ball, she brought her arms up to her face to protect herself, and then cried out as one of the hard batons connected with her ribs. The ambassador had risen again to his feet, and ignoring the pain in his nose and the blood that was gushing down his face, he ordered, "Bring me a whip."

One of the guards in the room handed over his own and with a kick into River's stomach, Isaiah forced her to roll onto her back and look at him. Leaning over her, his face was just inches from her own, a few drops of his blood falling onto her cheeks. "I hate to mar a beautiful body like yours, but your insolence will not be tolerated." Grabbing at the hair, he rolled her over and hissed, "The sooner you learn that lesson, the better." Spitting a bloody wad of phlegm onto her, he cocked back his arm, cracking the whip loudly.

And then River was being struck again and again and soon darkness consumed her.

-- --


	8. Chapter 7

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 7

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 7**

-- --

Jayne searched the darkened alley, looking for anything that might hint as to where River had been spirited away too. Zoe stood at the entrance to the narrow space, her body tense, even in the gown she wore, looking for trouble. Rising with a disgusted scowl on his face, Jayne met up with her and said, "There ain't nothin' back there that's gonna do me any good."

Zoe nodded once, having figured as much. "Well, we might as well head for that pub 'Nara talked about. See if they're havin' any luck."

Jayne fell into step beside her in silence, his brain still having trouble piecing together all the events of the night. After they'd walked quite a ways, he finally asked quietly, "Zoe?"

"Yes?" she answered, keeping her eyes and ears alert for any danger.

"You ever guess River could dance like that?"

Zoe actually paused, turning to fully face her crewmate. Studying his face in the moonlight, there wasn't much she could see but she did make out the awe and respect that now played across his features as he remembered River's performance. Resuming her walk, she answered quietly, "I don't know, Jayne. I figured out a long time ago to not underestimate that girl."

Jayne nodded thoughtfully, thinking on that. As they reached the entrance to the bar, he murmured, "Yeah, I shoulda realized that too."

Without another word, the two of them entered the raucous establishment.

-- --

"Inara, is that you?"

Turning quickly at the sound of her name, Inara took in the red-headed girl before her now. She recognized her as one of the dancers in River's company and her mind struggled to recall her name. As recognition dawned, Inara smiled gently and greeted her. "Delia, it's good to see you."

Smiling, the younger woman looked over Inara's shoulder, taking in Mal's handsome form and then asked, "Where's River?"

Hiding the immediate grimace she felt rise to her face, she said, "Well, actually I'm looking for her myself. I think she might have gone out on a date. With the man who sent her those flowers."

Delia's eyes clouded with delight as she said, "Oh, they were beautiful. Who sent them?"

"I'm not sure. It was someone from the party last night. River was unable to go and the host was very put out." Inara watched the dancer closely for her reaction, a bit surprised when the girl gripped her arm tightly.

"Ambassador Creighton?" Delia questioned breathlessly, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Ambassador Isaiah Creighton sent her those flowers?"

"So it appears," Inara answered, noting how Mal had inched forward so he could fully overhear their conversation over the crowd. "Tell me about him."

Another dreamy look passing across her face, Delia told them as much as she knew, while Mal and Inara listened intently.

-- --

"Are you hungry? I can fix you something." Kaylee was not surprised when Simon did not answer her. He had been silent since they'd left the theater, the two of them returning to Inara and River's apartment in case his sister tried to call. With a dejected look, Kaylee stared at him as he stood looking out the big sliding doors into the night.

She had tried to hold him, tried to tell him it would be all right, tried just to be close to him, but with a coldness she had not experienced from him before, he had rebuffed all her attempts, and so now Kaylee sat across the room, on the couch they had napped on just five short hours ago, unable to think of anything to do. He'd told her earlier that her ability to love people helped; but he wasn't letting her love him at the moment and she felt completely useless.

Rising with a small sigh, she moved towards the kitchen and announced, "I'm going to make some tea." She didn't get a response and she hadn't expected one. Emerging a few minutes later with the steaming cup in her hand, she was surprised to find the living room empty. Peering out onto the porch, she didn't see him there and Kaylee knew she had not heard the front door open. Setting down the cup, she called quietly, "Simon?"

Wandering into the back of the apartment, she found him in River's room, a set of River's ballet shoes in his hands. Standing in the doorway, Kaylee leaned against the jamb, and just waited, hoping that he would talk to her; hoping that he would let her help.

"She knew she wouldn't be able to dance at the Academy," he began quietly, his voice a low whisper. "That had been the one thing they hadn't offered, dance." As his fingers ran over the thick silk ribbons on the shoes, his voice grew more and more hoarse. "She almost didn't go because of it." Glancing back to the door, he admitted quietly, "But I told her one night that if she wanted to be a ballerina, she'd only have a career until she was twenty and then what would she do. I told her she needed to study math, science, languages." Swallowing thickly, he looked back to the shoes in his hand and muttered, "How could I have been so foolish?"

Taking in a shaky breath, he wrapped the silk ribbons around the shoes and set them on the bed beside him, up near her pillow. As he remained frozen in that position, Kaylee risked another cold reaction from him and entered the room, sitting beside him gingerly, placing a hand to his shoulder. Her touch caused him to turn to face her, and Kaylee bit her lip as she saw the pain in his eyes. "I worked so hard to get her back," he told her brokenly. "She can't just be gone again."

With a look of sympathy and heartache, Kaylee opened her arms to him, and Simon returned her embrace, holding her tightly to him. She ran her fingers through his silky hair, whispering soothing and comforting words in his ear as he tried not to completely despair. His strong hands spread along her back, locking her to his chest, but Kaylee knew it wasn't because he feared she would leave; it was because he feared he would sink without her.

After untold minutes, Kaylee finally whispered to him, "Sweetie, you need to get some sleep. When the others get back, they'll have some news an' we gotta be ready to go an' get her back."

He shook his head against her shoulder, not at all certain he could sleep. "No, she might call. I need to stay awake."

Leaning back from him, Kaylee cradled his face in her hands and told him, "I'll stay awake. If'n she calls, I wake ya right away." As he again began to disagree with her, Kaylee pressed a finger to his lips and said quietly, "At least try to sleep, honey. For me?"

Holding her concerned gaze for another minute, Simon reluctantly nodded, curling up onto his sister's bed. Kaylee sat closer to him, one held hand tightly in his as her other hand ran soothingly through his hair. Leaning down to press a kiss to his cheek, she whispered, "I love you."

"Love you," he murmured back, already feeling the tug of sleep as Kaylee's gentle touch and soothing presence calmed him. Once his eyes had fluttered shut, his long, dark lashes resting gently against his pale cheeks, Kaylee let out a sigh of relief. Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer to the Shepherd and whoever else might be listening that River did indeed to return to them, safe and sound.

-- --

Kaylee heard the outer door open and glancing once more to Simon to make sure he was still asleep, she rushed from the room to greet her friends. As she rounded the corner to face them, her hopes crashed to her feet, their dejected looks and cold expressions more than enough to tell her they hadn't found anything.

"Nothin'?" She asked quietly, moving to Inara's side.

Shaking her head slowly, her friend told her, "We might have a lead, but it's going to take some persuasion to get us any closer." Looking to Mal, she added softly, "And we can't go charging over there in the middle of the night."

The captain grimaced; this was obviously a fight they'd already had. "I don' see why not. If'n that hun dan has your sister an' River, I say we shoot first an' ask questions later."

Turning to him with a cold anger in her eyes, Inara bit out, "Kill an ambassador? Can you think of a stupider thing to do?" As Mal's mouth worked to answer her, Inara muttered, "Oh, wait, I'm sure you can."

Kaylee backed away from the two as they started to bicker again. She looked to Jayne and Zoe for help, but the burly mercenary had lied down on the couch, his eyes closed and seemingly oblivious to what was happening around him. Zoe had wandered across the room and also sat in a comfortable chair, taking in the argument with detached interest.

Fear and pain welling in her, Kaylee's eyes pooled with tears as she finally yelled, "All right! Enough!"

Mal and Inara both backed away from each other instantly, looking to Kaylee with shocked expressions. As the young woman gathered her thoughts, she scolded them, "This ain't helpin' nobody, least of all River. We gotta find 'er," she begged, looking to Mal whose eyes were studying her intently. Moving towards her, Kaylee held up a hand to him and then shifted her gaze to Inara. "And yer sis. So instead of fightin' with each other, let's work a gorram plan!"

Even Jayne had perked up at the sound of Kaylee's insistence and with a proud smirk he looked between her, Mal, and Inara. Turning to face Inara, Mal reached for her hand and murmured, "I'm sorry. I ain't tryin' to make you angry."

Smiling slightly, Inara stepped closer to him, and murmured back, "Since when do you have to try?"

He chuckled lightly at the joke and pulled her into a tight embrace, before looking back to Kaylee. "All right, lil' Kaylee. You gotta point." Glancing around the room, he asked, "Where's Simon?"

"Sleepin'," Kaylee told him, suddenly feeling exhausted. Sinking into a nearby chair, she cast her eyes to the floor as she said, "I convinced him he needed to rest so that he could help find River when ya'll got back." Lifting her wide, but clear eyes back to her friends, she asked, "So, what're we gonna do?"

"First thing, you better get the doc," Mal ordered, moving into the room and taking a seat. "We're gonna need his genius criminal mind for this."

Kaylee nodded once and left quickly, returning with a slightly groggy Simon just a few minutes later. Inara had moved to put on a pot of coffee, knowing they would all need the caffeine before this night was over. Once they were all again settled, she and Mal explained what Delia had told them about Ambassador Creighton and their belief that he had been the one to send the flowers to River.

His expression hardening with each new detail, Simon asked, "Where does he live?"

Holding up a hand, Mal told him, "Easy there, son. We can't go chargin' over there in the middle o' the night." Doing his best to ignore Inara's upraised eyebrow, Mal continued. "'Sides, we need a bit more proof this hun dan is actually guilty 'fore we start mountin' an assault."

Simon nodded once, obviously not convinced they needed anything more than an address, but using discipline he'd learned in medical school, he asked, "How do you propose we get this evidence?"

"Actually, I think I know," Inara told him, rising swiftly and heading to her room. Seconds later she returned with a data stick which she inserted into her cortex terminal. As the rest of the crew gathered around, she began to explain. "These are the police files of all the disappearances with in the past six months. If we cross reference the dates with Creighton's published schedule we might see a pattern."

Nodding once, Mal looked to Kaylee and asked her, "Can you help 'Nara with that, mei mei?"

Kaylee returned the nod and then pulled up a seat next to her friend, both of them hunching over the terminal. Turning to Jayne, Zoe and Simon, Mal drew them across the room and said softly, "Jayne, I wan' you an' Zoe to go back to the ship. Make sure she's locked down tight an' get any weapons that are easily concealable. If'n we're goin' in, I wanna be armed to the teeth." They both nodded and headed out, Mal calling after them, "An' get some sleep, dong ma? I want you both wide awake in a few hours."

Looking back to Simon, Mal's breath hitched in his throat. He'd seen the kid upset plenty of times, but he'd never seen the young doctor quite this distraught. Placing a light hand on the boy's shoulder, Mal said softly, "Look, doc, I ain't restin' 'til River's back, safe an' sound. You got that?"

Simon studied the man for a moment, not at all sure why he trusted him so readily. He was not a trusting person, but if anyone deserved his faith, it was Mal, a man who had housed two known Alliance fugitives on his boat for over a year and who had made him part of his family. Nodding once, Mal took the sign as a positive one and then added, "And I need you to do somethin' too."

Curious, Simon asked, "What?"

Glancing over his shoulder to Kaylee and Inara, Mal pulled the boy into the kitchen and said softly, "You saw them drugs 'Nara's sis is 'sposed to be takin'?" Simon nodded and Mal continued. "I wan' you to figure out how to save her, once we've got 'er back."

His eyes widening slightly, Simon pulled back from his and let out a small breath between his teeth. "Mal, medically speaking that just might not be possible. Those drugs are very serious pain medications, meant to manage a terminal illness. And there's no telling what condition Malena, or my sister, will be in when we find them."

"I know it ain't gonna be easy," Mal told him, slightly annoyed. "But I'm still askin' ya to do it."

Reluctantly, Simon nodded, but as Mal turned to leave, he told him, "I wouldn't say anything to Inara. There's a very real chance I won't be able to help Malena."

Mal had never had any intention of speaking of this request to Inara. Nodding once, he left the room, heading back to see if she and Kaylee had made any progress.

-- --

River awoke, her cheek resting against a cold, packed dirt floor. Her head was still swimming, her back, legs and arms burning with the familiar sensation of open wounds, dried with blood. She lied still for several minutes, hoping that the blessedness of sleep would come again, but she knew it wouldn't and so slowly, cautiously, she sat up.

Her head pounded even more violently as she changed elevations and she shut her eyes to keep the room from spinning. Well, not room – cell. As she again opened her eyes and took in her surroundings fully, River recognized the bars in front of her, the cold stone at the back of the tiny space; she was a prisoner.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up."

Turning her head sharply at the sound, which only caused nausea to churn through her gut, River took in the small, pale face and big brown eyes that stared at her through the bars of the next cell. Swallowing several times to get her voice working, River finally croaked out, "Have I been asleep long?"

Shrugging, the other woman said softly, "Hard to tell. A while."

River heard the tone of resignation in the woman's hushed voice and with barely another thought, she found herself crawling across the floor, her bruised ribs and cut back protesting the movement. As she sat gingerly in front of the woman, River again studied her. She tried to filter out the pain and fear she was feeling from all the others who were trapped as well. If River's calculations and eyes could be trusted there were about a dozen women scattered about the jail.

Closing her eyes, River felt their pain, each woman's anguish reading to her in different colors, ringing on different frequencies through her mind. Of course, it only served to make her head hurt even more and so, with difficulty, River tried to erect her mental barriers, the ones that had become so important since Miranda and filter out everything and everyone, but the woman who sat in front of her now.

Reopening her eyes, River was not at all surprised to see the woman's eyes still studying her. Her face and arms were bruised, cuts mingled with black and blue marks and scars. "What is this place?" River asked, keeping her voice low.

"Hell," the woman answered nonchalantly, shrugging slightly in the process. Sizing River up, she asked, "You were a dancer, right?"

River nodded once, and said, "Yes, with the Aujordhui Company. You?"

Nodding once, the woman said, "Me too. My last role I danced was Sleeping Beauty." Pausing suddenly, the woman coughed violently, covering her mouth with her hand as her whole body shaking with the effort. As the fit died down, she offered River a watery smile, wiping her now blood-stained hand on the front of her filthy shift. "Sorry, I'm not all together well."

River's eyes widened imperceptibly as her shaken brain put the pieces together. "Malena?" she breathed, feeling the woman's pain. It wasn't just the tortured pain of the others, it was pain borne of a deep-seated disease. And her resigned tone could only come from a woman who knew she did not have much longer to suffer.

Malena's eyes widened at the sound of her name. Backing up a bit from the bars, she whispered, "Who are you?"

Smiling at her and trying to look as non-threatening as possible, River told her, "A friend. I came to Paquin looking for you, with your sister."

At the mention of Inara, the woman's eyes filled with tears and she suddenly looked much more frightened and young. "Inara?" she whispered. As a few tears snaked down her cheeks, she asked, "She came for me?"

Reaching out to pat her hand as it curled tightly around the cold metal bar, River told her, "Of course. She loves you very much and she wants you to be safe." Pausing for a moment to allow Malena time to digest this information, River finally asked, "So, how do we get out of here?"

With fearful eyes and her voice barely audible, Malena told her, "We don't."

-- --

"_Inara, your sister is very sick."_

_With wide, 8-year-old eyes, Inara looked to her mother and father, both of them more upset than she could ever remember seeing them and asked innocently, "Why?"_

_Sharing a look with each other, it was her father who stepped forward and knelt before his eldest daughter. Taking her gently by the arms, he said softly, "There really isn't a why, Inara. Malena has an illness called cancer and it's making her sick."_

_Holding her father's gaze, Inara felt tears welling in her eyes and she asked in a whisper, "Can she get better?"_

_With another glance over his shoulder to her mother, when her father again looked to her Inara saw tears in his eyes as well and it scared her; her father did not cry, he barely showed any emotion ever. "I'm not sure, sweetheart. Her doctors are trying to make her well, but … it may not be possible."_

_As her tears started running down her cheeks, Inara's father tried to pull her into his arms, but wresting out of his grasp, she bolted from the room, taking the stairs two at a time and bursting into her room, flinging herself on her bed. Inara had no idea how long she sobbed, but when she awoke the next morning she was still in her clothes from the night before._

_Slowly, she rolled off of her bed, praying that the whole conversation with her father had been a nightmare and that her baby sister, her four-year-old sister who loved to dance and laugh, wasn't really going to die. Padding down the hallway to her room, Inara pushed open the door and entered the dark space quietly._

_Moving towards her bed, she climbed up on it and settled next to Laney, her arm across her chest. "You'll get better, Laney," she whispered in her ear, even as the girl slept, her bloodstream full of medications Inara didn't know about. "I won't let you die." _

_Pressing a kiss to her cheek, Inara stayed with her sister, vowing to do whatever it took to help her get well._

Everyone else was asleep, trying to get a few hours of rest, but Inara awoke in a cold sweat from her dream and found that sleep was a luxury her mind would not indulge in. Sliding out of bed as quietly as she could so as not to disturb Mal, she grabbed her robe and headed for the kitchen, content to make herself a cup of tea and wait for the sun to rise.

As she entered the room, she stopped short, Simon's slumped form already at the table, a warm mug sitting in front of him. He glanced up at her entrance, but did not speak, simply casting his eyes back into nothing.

Uncertain whether or not he would want her company, in light of her role in his sister's kidnapping, Inara stood uncertainly just over the threshold, deciding. Just as she'd made up her mind to go, Simon's quiet voice said, "The water should still be hot. I just made my cup."

Looking to him, Inara's heart went out the doctor and she fixed her tea quickly, before sitting across from him. As she took a sip, she felt her hand shaking and she quickly lowered the mug back to the table. She had no idea what to say to Simon; she could only imagine the hell he was going through now, knowing that his sister had again disappeared. At least when she'd been in the Alliance's hands, he'd known where she was.

Risking another outburst from him, she told him softly, "Simon, I am so sorry that River got taken. I honestly thought we would have found Laney by now."

Holding up a hand to stop her, Simon did not look to her as he said quietly, "It's fine, Inara. It's not your fault."

Cocking an eyebrow at him, Inara asked, "Really? Look me in the eye when you say that and I just might believe you."

With sad eyes, he did finally look to her and if Inara's heart hadn't already broken for him, it would have at that moment. He looked so lost, so distraught that it literally took her breath away. "River knew why she was coming here with you, she admitted that to me. And she knew that if anyone could help you find Malena it would be her." Heaving a sigh, Simon leaned forward, wrapping his hands around his still warm tea, hoping to counteract the chill that had seeped into his skin. "Whether I like it or not, River is an adult now and she has the right to make her own choices." Raising the mug to his lips, he added, "I just want to find her."

Nodding her agreement with that statement, Inara asked him, "Where's Kaylee?"

With a small smile, he told her, "Sleeping, finally. She kept trying to fight it, to stay awake for me, but I told her it was all right. I don't want anything happening to her." His eyes again filled with concern, and this time it was a love that Inara had already seen in his features before; Simon had been in love with Kaylee for quite some time before they'd gotten together, just as the young mechanic had been in love with him. Inara was glad they both had managed to find their way to one another.

Leaning forward she squeezed his hand gently and told him, "I'm so happy for you both. You're good for one another."

Smiling his thanks to her, Simon said, "Kind of like you and Mal."

Rolling her eyes, Inara told him, "Oh, I'm not sure we're _good_ for one another. Perfect maybe, right, but based on our propensity for arguing, I'm not so sure good is the right word."

His smile deepened ever so slightly at her attempt at levity and Inara returned the expression. They sat in silence for a few more moments and then finally Simon asked, "Do you really think this ambassador is going to know where our sisters are?"

Shrugging lightly, Inara told him, "Well, there's nothing in any of his files that would indicate he'd be prone to kidnappings, but the timeframes match and the fact that he sent River those flowers makes me a bit suspicious." Looking to him, she said, "I guess we'll find out in a few hours."

Glancing to a clock on the wall, Simon released a sigh and told her, "Well, then, I guess I had better try and sleep." Rising he threw the rest of his tea into the sink and headed to leave. On his way passed Inara, he squeezed her shoulder gently, saying, "We'll find them, Inara."

She smiled softly to him, but did not speak, waiting until he'd left the room before a few silent tears fell down her cheeks. "I hope so."

-- --


	9. Chapter 8

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 8

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 8**

Rating: R

-- --

It was a theater, almost an arena, with tiered seating expanding out from the small stage in concentric circles. It was loud and hot and smelly and River's stomach churned the minute she was ushered with about half of the other girl's including Malena into a small holding area just off the stage.

With grunts and none to gentle shoves the guards had come and pulled her from her cell, ignoring her cries of pain and questions as they'd ordered her to get dressed in a garish costume, similar to the one Creighton had made her don the night before. They had of course not giving her any privacy and so with her head held high in defiance River had disrobed in front of them, not giving them the satisfaction of the tears of horror she wanted to shed or the shivers that crept up her spine as their thoughts turned lewd.

Now, as she peered out at the scene before her, she heard the raucousness of drunken laughter and deep voices. Feeling fear churning in her gut, River turned to Malena, noting the tired and dull expression on the other woman's face. She was beyond fear.

"What's going to happen?" River asked her quietly. "What are we expected to do?"

"Dance," Malena told her quietly. Shifting to fully face her in the tight space, she said quietly, "Okay, here are some pointers. The patrons are allowed to come down to the stage with us, but they're not allowed to have sex with us there, they have to get you into the bleachers for that, so don't let them take you," she said harshly, grabbing at River's already bruised arms. "The guards will protect you to a point when you're on stage, but if you stop dancing or you fight back too hard against one of the paying customers, the guards will hit you." Pointing out through the small opening to one of the big burly men across the way, River noted that the wand he held was longer and shinier than the batons the men at Creighton's estate had had. "They're like human cattle prods. They'll burn skin, right through your clothes and send a jolt of electricity through you." Pulling River back to face her, Malena said, "Try not to make them mad."

Her eyes even wider, River asked her urgently, "Haven't you ever tried to fight back? This is wrong. Creighton is exploiting us, forfeiting our freedom. He doesn't have the right."

With a sad smile, Malena held a hand to her new friend's face. "You're new, River. You don't understand. You were selected, Creighton chose you to be here. And once he makes that decision, there is no _you_ anymore; you're his toy, a way for him to make scads of dirty money." Pausing for a moment, Malena dropped her gaze to the floor, feeling a stab of pain. Panting a bit as she fought it off, she told her, "You don't escape from hell."

Another ripple of pain shot through her and River felt it. Lifting her chin so she could look to her contorted face, River asked, "Are you going to be all right?"

Tears in her eyes as the pain intensified before it receded, Malena said softly, "I figure I'm better off than anybody else here." Frowning to her, River didn't understand and so Malena explained just before they were ushered out onto the stage. "At least I know I'm going to die. And soon."

River didn't have time to analyze the girl's words as she was assaulted by the bright lights shining down overhead and the catcalls of the room's patrons. The bleachers were packed, and from just the first few rows that she could see, River could make out that while these men minds were full of desire and lust for women they had no right too, they were fairly well-dressed. Of course, River thought to herself, even as more disgust churned in her gut. Running to the edge of the ring, she wretched against the wall, really nothing more than dry heaves as she could not remember the last time she ate.

Placing her hand against the wall to brace herself, the chains they had never removed from her wrists clanking with the motion, she kept her head bowed for a moment, trying to tap into that inner well of strength she knew she possessed. A meaty hand clamped over hers and she looked up with wide eyes as one of the audience members, a man with dark eyes and even darker thoughts leaned over and told her, "Don't worry, baby, we'll be gentle."

Wrenching her hand out of his grasp, River retreated back to the center of the stage, and listened as loud music began to play. It wasn't the type of music she was used to dancing to, but as the other girls started to move, all of their faces wearing looks of various degrees of horror, fright and resignation, River moved as well.

It wasn't long before they were joined in the middle of the floor by some of the men in the stands and River closed her mind and her heart to what was happening around her as three of them took a particular interest in her. With a detachment she had learned at the Academy, she secreted herself away in a corner of her mind so that she wouldn't register the way their hands groped at her flesh, the way they touched her inappropriately, they way they ground themselves against her. When one of them fastened his teeth to her neck to bite her, River finally fought back, shoving him to the ground with a hard punch, while she lashed out at the other two.

One of the guards was on her in an instant, and River dropped to the floor like a rag doll as the prod connected with her lower back. They kept poking her until she rose, and on shaky legs River got back up, looking through her curtain of stringy hair to find Malena. She was also surrounded, but the look of calm on her face puzzled River. Opening her mind to the girl, she knew it was because of the cancer that she had learned not to care. She knew she would be dead sooner rather than later, and so what did it matter? She didn't have to survive this, because this is where she would end her days.

Feeling more sadness for her and more fear for herself, River prayed for the night to be over as she was again compelled by one of the prods to move. Continuing to shut out everything else, she simply danced.

-- --

Mal and Inara stood on the doorstep to Creighton's estate waiting impatiently for someone to answer the bell. As the door finally swung open and they were ushered into the entryway, it was Inara who spoke, as was the plan.

"Good morning. We're here to see the ambassador. Is he available?"

"May I tell him who's calling, miss?" the butler asked in a clipped accent.

Smiling to him, she said softly, "Of course, please let him know it's Malena Serra's sister and a friend."

If the man recognized her sister's name it did not register on his face. Once he was gone, Mal took her arm and pulled her around to face him. "You sure that was such a smart idea, darlin'?" he asked, his voice low. "I din't think you wanted that particular cat outta the bag yet."

Smiling to him tightly, Inara said, "Mal, it's the only leverage I've got and the only thing I might be able to say that will convince him to see us." Resting a hand to his cheek, she added softly, "I know what I'm doing."

"An' if you don't, that's why I'm here," he answered back, taking her hand in his and kissing it gently, before turning back as the butler reappeared.

"This way, please."

They followed the man, refusing any refreshment and waited in a very well-appointed study. Leather couches and fine art were scattered throughout the room, and the walls were filled, floor to ceiling, with shelves covered with books. As Inara was glancing through the titles, the door reopened and a large, imposing man entered.

"You're here to see the ambassador?" he asked, his tone one of practiced politeness.

Moving to greet him, Inara extended a hand, which he shook. "Yes, is he available?"

"He is actually in meetings for most of the morning," the man answered, appraising Inara and Mal in seconds. "Miss?"

"Serra," she said, watching his reaction. Unlike the butler, this man's eyes did widen, just a bit, and Inara turned from him to introduce Mal. "And my escort, Malcolm Reynolds."

Mal shook the man's hand roughly as he said, "I am Mitchell Yang, the ambassador's personal aide." Looking back to Inara, he said, "Please forgive my curiosity, but were you related to Malena Serra?"

Nodding firmly, Inara said, "Yes, I am. She's my younger sister."

His eyes softening just a bit, the man lowered his voice and told her, "The ambassador and I both were deeply saddened by her disappearance. As you know, Ambassador Creighton is the main financial backer of her ballet company. She was a fine dancer."

"Is," Inara corrected again, her chin high. "I don't believe she's dead."

Raising his eyebrows, Mitchell asked, "Oh? I'm afraid you are more optimistic than our local police."

Smiling tightly, Inara said, "I have to be. She's my sister." Glancing back to Mal, Inara let the statement hang in the air for a moment, before she said, "Malena is actually the reason why we're here. I was hoping to ask the ambassador for some help in finding her."

Stiffening ever so slightly, Mitchell crossed his arms over his chest as he said, "The ambassador has already told the police everything he knows."

"Yes, I realize that," Inara said, trying to keep her impatience in check. "However, my family is not independently wealthy and the search for my sister is draining my financial resources. I was hoping that perhaps in the name of good public relations and philanthropy, Ambassador Creighton might be willing to help."

Sucking in a breath between his clenched teeth, Mitchell told her sadly, "I'm not sure. The ambassador is not accustomed to using his finances in such a way. You have to understand that his lending of support could be construed as admitting culpability of some kind." Leaning his head towards her, he confided, "One has to be very careful when dealing in the realm of public opinion."

Smiling tightly, Inara felt the very real urge to throttle the man, but with her placid demeanor still in place, Inara answered, "Of course. May we see him?"

Straightening again, Mitchell told her, "Unfortunately, not today. He will be on Paquin for a few more days though, and he's actually hosting a party tomorrow evening. Perhaps you and your escort would like to attend?"

"Oh, I'm not sure we could," Inara answered, playing the demure card she'd been holding onto. "We'd hate to impose."

"Nonsense. In light of what has happened with your sister, a nice evening of culture is the least we can do." Mitchell's face held a pleasant smile, but Inara saw something else in his eyes that made her shiver; he was playing them.

"Well, then we accept." She extended a hand, which he again shook before showing them out. "Wonderful. Call the estate tomorrow morning and ask for me. I'll give you the details."

Inara smiled again and then turned back to face him. "We really do appreciate your hospitality and your understanding, Mister Yang. I realize it was quite forward of me to just assume the ambassador would be willing to help, but …" Softening her expression, Inara told him, "She is my sister."

"Of course," he said succinctly and then with a nod to Mal, shut the door, leaving them out in the mid-morning sun.

Walking quickly down the path and towards the entry gate, Mal murmured to her, "I didn't like that guy."

"Me either," Inara concurred, waiting until they were a block from the estate before saying anything else. "But he recognized my last name as soon as I said it. I could read that off of him. He knows something, and I'm pretty sure that invitation to the ball is just a reason to keep us under his thumb."

Taking her hand, Mal told her, "I ain't never liked bein' under another fella's thumb."

Grimacing, Inara said, "Then that's why we're going to dictate exactly what happens and what we find out at that party." Tugging on his hand, she urged him, "Come on."

-- --

"Inara, I can't risk another one of my girls." Hellen's eyes conveyed her sorrow at having to tell her friend no, but it was actually the response Inara had been expecting.

"I know, Hellen, but my friends and I will be there. She won't be out of our sight." She heard the desperate tone in her voice and tried to stifle it with little luck.

Shaking her head sadly, Hellen told her, "You know you can't promise me that. When a companion takes a contract with a client, that client has the right to dictate her actions. If Creighton wants to go for a midnight stroll, alone, there's nothing you or anyone can do to stop that." With a small sigh, she told her, "I'm sorry, mei mei. I was actually going to call Creighton's assistant today and tell him we didn't have anyone suitable at this time."

Her eyes widening, Inara told her quickly, "Don't. If one of your girls can't do it, then we'll have to think of something else." As Hellen's skeptical expression deepened, Inara pleaded, "Please, Hellen. Just give us a few hours. We'll work something out."

"All right," the older woman said with a sigh. "But be careful, please."

Inara nodded once and then flipped off the screen, slumping back in her chair. "Go se," she muttered, not at all surprised to feel Mal's hands on her shoulders, trying to rub away some of her tension.

"It ain't the end o' the world, darlin'," he told her, pressing a kiss into her hair. "We'll jus' get close another way."

Shaking her head, Inara told him, "Mal, a companion is the perfect cover. Someone who could distract Creighton enough for us to get into his files; it's really the best way for us to get close."

Sighing, Mal thought on their options for a moment, even as his fingers continued to knead her flesh. "Well, we could ask Zoe to do it."

Frowning at him, Inara turned in her seat and looked up at him. "Sweetie, Zoe is gorgeous, but do you honestly think Creighton would allow her to take him anywhere? Even you're a little afraid of Zoe and you've known her for years."

Feigning indignation, Mal told her, "I ain't afraid o' Zoe." As Inara raised an eyebrow at him, he amended, "Okay, sometimes she scares me a bit." Pulling her into a standing position, he led her towards the couch where they could both sit comfortably. "'Sides, if Creighton is behind these kidnappings, I'm thinkin' dominating women is one of his likes an' Zo definitely don't fit that role."

Inara nodded once, shivering slightly at Mal's assessment of Creighton. Of course, they hadn't even met the man yet, but both of them were being driven by hard-earned and reality-tested instincts and they both felt that they were on to something.

With a sigh, Inara told him, "I wish we had another option."

"I could do it."

Kaylee's soft voice startled them both and with wide eyes they turned to regard her as she entered the room and sat on the table in front of them. "I'm the right age as them other girls, an' I don't look near as threatenin' as Zoe," Kaylee explained, Inara and Mal still too shocked by her offer to form a response. "An' he ain't seen me yet, so he won't suspect nothin'." Her eyes twinkling just a bit, Inara knew it was to cover her discomfort as she said, "An' I got some wiles o' my own."

Leaning forward, Inara squeezed her hand and told her insistently, "Mei mei, that's very nice of you to offer, but … Where is Simon?" she asked, knowing that the minute he got wind of this plan he would put an end to it.

Glancing back the way she'd come, she told them, "In the shower." Looking back to her friends, she told them, "'Sides, this ain't his decision, it's mine. It's somethin' I can do that might actually help."

"Yeah, Kaylee, but it's right dangerous an' no one here, especially the doc is gonna want you to put yourself anywhere near that man." Mal's expression was set, his eyes taking on the look they held when he tried to pretend and be her father.

"You ain't my daddy, cap'n," she told him, planting her fists on her hips, her lips pursed with defiance. Looking to Inara she said, "An' you ain't my ma. I've been livin' on my own for quite some time now an' I'm full grown, if'n this is somethin' that needs to be done, an' I can do it, then I will."

Inara and Mal exchanged a look and neither of them spoke for several moments. Inara had no desire to drag Kaylee any farther into this than she already was. The girl was still, after all they'd seen and experienced, the purest soul she'd ever known and Inara wished she had the power to shield her from all of this pain and ugliness. But she also had a point, and if they wanted someone on the inside, she was their only option.

Sitting forward again, Inara took both Kaylee's hands in hers and held her gaze. "Mei mei, you understand what you're agreeing to? If you pose as Creighton's registered companion for the evening, you will need to make him feel as if he's the only man in the room. You will need to laugh at every joke, smile at every introduction, dance for every song." Looking back to Mal whose expression was now unreadable, Inara looked back to Kaylee and said, "We won't let it go any farther than that. Mal and I will get you out of there before … Well, before the evening would end in his bedroom, but there's a very good chance, if Creighton is the man we think he is, that this will not be pleasant."

Kaylee's eyes had widened a bit as Inara spoke, but with a determined gaze and a set jaw, Kaylee told her, "I know, 'Nara. I get it. An' I wanna do it."

"Do what?" All eyes turned to regard Simon as he stood in the entryway of the room, and with a sigh it was Kaylee who began to explain.

-- --

River awoke again curled up on the cold floor of her cell. Lifting her head slightly, she was glad that it wasn't pounding as it had been the previous day. Her body ached, the burns and cuts on her back still stinging something fierce. Focusing her eyes, she looked towards the door of her cell and saw three bowls lying there. Curious she started to crawl towards them.

"Don't eat the gruel," Malena said, watching her from her cell. "It's got drugs in it to make us sleep."

River looked back to her and nodded, sitting cross-legged and pulling the other bowls into her lap. One held what looked to be torn rags while the other simply held water. With questioning eyes she looked to Malena and the girl explained. "You need to clean up. They don't like us to have blood on our skin."

"How thoughtful," River muttered, taking a rag and dipping it into the bowl. As she applied it to a cut she could see on her upper arm, it stung a bit and she winced. Dabbing at it carefully, she looked back to Malena and asked quietly, "Is it always like that? How it was last night?"

Her eyes blurring a bit as she remembered, Laney answered in a whisper, "Mostly. Normally it's worse." Looking back to her, she beckoned River towards her. "Bring those things over here. We need to clean out the cuts on your back."

Smiling her thanks to her, River did as she instructed and sat up a bit so that Malena could lift up her dirty slip dress and administer to her wounds. They sat in silence for a long while before the other girl said, "Tell me about my sister."

Tilting her head to the side, River questioned, "What do you want to know?"

Gently wiping the dried blood from River's pale skin, Malena responded, "Is she happy?"

Smiling slightly, River said, "Yes, she is. She's very much in love with Mal, the captain of our ship."

"Oh, I know about him," Malena said dreamily, placing the cloth back into the bowl to soak it and then wring the excess water away. "Inara used to write and tell me how infuriating he was. Of course, when my sister says that it means she's head over heels, she just won't admit it."

Nodding once, River murmured, "Yes, that's exactly how it was."

As Malena continued to work, she continued to talk, her voice growing fainter as fatigue settled in. "She was always so much better with boys than me. I used to get so jealous. We'd have parties and all the boys our age would follow her around like lost puppies and I'd just be sitting in a corner, looking at my shoes." Sighing, she said, "Of course, I was sick a lot, so my skin was normally pale and my hair was always thin. Not like Inara. She's so beautiful."

River felt her hands still and when she turned to face the girl, she saw tears running down her dirty cheeks. Taking a rag and dipping it, River began to gently wipe at her face as she said, "She's very worried about you. As soon as she found out you were missing, she came looking. She wouldn't tell Mal of course," River said quietly, noting the eye roll of agreement that Malena gave her. "But, we were looking everywhere." Pausing, she added softly, "She knows you're sick again."

Closing her eyes, a few more tears fell from Malena's eyes as she said, "I didn't want to tell her. I knew that if I did she would drop everything and come sit by my side." Opening her brown eyes to River once more, exhaustion, pain and acceptance were evident there. "I'm tired of fighting, River, so very tired. And Inara … she just doesn't understand that."

Pressing a kiss to the girl's cheek, River told her, "It's only because she doesn't want to lose you." Brushing some hair off her forehead, she said, "Why don't you get some sleep? I'll stay awake."

Nodding, Malena did not have the strength or energy to disagree and she curled up into a tight ball right at the base of the bars. River stuck her hand through the metal and gently brushed her fingers through the girl's hair, watching until she fell asleep.

-- --

"No."

Simon's eyes blazed as he stared at Kaylee, his jaw set, a vein in his neck pulsing with anger. Placing her hands on his arms, she was not at all surprised when he paced away from her. Watching him go, she told him, "Simon, it really ain't up to you."

Turning to her with wide eyes, Simon held her gaze and then asked, "How can you say that? This is dangerous, Kaylee. That man – we don't know what he's capable of."

"Right, so could be he's as threatening as a kitten," she retorted, allowing a bit of her own annoyance to seep into her tone. The minute she'd begun to explain the plan to Simon he had stormed back towards River's room, and that's where they were now. The door was closed, but Kaylee doubted it was even remotely muffling the sound of their raised voices.

"Or he could be a sadistic torturer who likes to make young women feel pain," Simon answered, anger still evident on his features. "Based on what we know so far, I'm going to have to dismiss the kitten idea."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kaylee said, "Now, look 'ere, Simon Tam, I done love you, but jus' 'cause we're sleepin' together don't give you the right to tell me what I can an' can't do." As Simon took a deep breath, Kaylee continued. "Inara an' the cap'n are gonna be close all night. They won't let nothin' happen to me. An' I did date 'fore I met ya, I know how to handle a man."

"Mal and Inara may not be able to protect you at every minute," Simon muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor. Rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, he said softly, "I don't want you anywhere near this."

"Well, I'm already in the middle of it," she told him, dropping the harshness from her tone as well. Stepping closer to him, she said quietly, "And if'n this can help us find River, then I gotta do what I can."

"I don't want to risk your safety to find my sister," Simon admitted, lifting his eyes to her face. Cradling her cheeks in his hands, he said softly, "We've just started something. The thought of you getting hurt … I don't like it, Kaylee, not any of it," he finished quietly, studying her eyes intently.

Stepping into his touch, Kaylee sighed and said, "I know, sweetie, but it's one night, just a couple o' hours an' then it'll be over." She touched her lips to his lightly and was not at all surprised when Simon pulled her closer, deepening the kiss as his arms encircled her, holding her tight to his chest.

"I can't lose you," he murmured into her hair once they parted, her head resting against his shoulder.

"You ain't gonna," she assured him, wishing that for all her sure words, she felt even half the confidence she was trying to fake. Looking to him with a light in her eyes, she teased, "I just got ya. I ain't givin' ya up that easy."

He returned her smile even though all Simon wanted to do at that moment was hold her and never let her go. Kissing her again, it was Kaylee who broke the contact this time. Tugging gently on his hand, she said, "I gotta start my Companion lessons with 'Nara."

He reluctantly followed her from the room, watching after her as she bounded into Inara's bedroom and shut the door, the two women starting their crash course in all things companion. Bringing his eyes back into the room, he saw that Zoe and Jayne had arrived and were studying him intently as was Mal.

"I don't like it," he told them all, his voice again harsh. Striding towards them, he stood at the end of the couch and looked to Mal directly. "If anything happens to her-"

Holding up a hand, Mal told him, "You can save yer threats, doc. If anythin' happens to lil' Kaylee, I'll kill myself, don't worry." Glancing to Zoe and then to Jayne, he added, "But maybe keepin' her safe's gonna be a group effort."

Puzzled, Simon asked, "Shenme?"

Smiling tightly, Mal told him, "We're all goin' to that party."

-- --


	10. Chapter 9

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 9

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 9**

Rating: R

-- --

River had watched Malena sleep for most the day. The girl's pain was hard and cold and it caused River to shiver as she felt her unconscious mind exposed while she slumbered. With tears in her eyes, River had simply sat near the girl, a hand on her bruised shoulder or against her hair. She had to get her out of here; and River had spent the hours trying to form a plan.

When the guards again came around to pull them out for that evening's performance, River was ready. Although her hands were still bound by the thick chains Creighton had affixed to them that first night, she could still fight. The adrenaline had started flowing the minute she'd seen the first burly hun dan round the corner. With calculating eyes she watched as the guard set out her clothes on a bench just outside her cell, and then slid the heavy key into the lock, clicking it open.

"Get out!" he bellowed, stepping aside.

River rose slowly, her eyes never leaving his face, her features betraying none of the pain she felt from her still healing wounds. Stepping over the threshold of her cell, River surveyed the scene, sizing up the other five guards who were watching over their charges. River knew she could take them, she had killed a roomful of Reavers before, and these men were not nearly as blood thirsty as they had been.

Bending over to reach for her costume, River attacked. Kicking back with her leg, she connected with the guard's chest, hearing the satisfying sound of a cracking rib. The man staggered backwards, cursing violently, before he swung his staff around and jammed it towards her midsection. Anticipating the move, River sidestepped him and yanked on the long rod, pulling the man off balance and causing him to fall to the ground. Banging his head hard against the dirt, he fell unconscious, just as the other guards began to attack.

River kicked and punched as two of them grabbed for her while the other two tried to connect their electric rods with her body. Pinning her arms to her sides, River cried out once as one lightning shock echoed through her chest and she fell limp in their arms, causing them to drop her; which was their mistake.

Reaching for the closest guards booted foot, River pulled on it hard, dropping him to the ground, his head clanging against the metal cell behind him. As he slumped down the bars, River rose and turned to the other guard, wrapping the chain that bound her wrists around his neck and pulling back hard, crushing the man's windpipe. As his face turned red, then purple, then blue, the other two guards slammed her face first into the bars of her cell. River tasted blood from where a gash had opened on her forehead and her head swam from the impact.

Obviously, never having fought a dancer before, they didn't realize that River's range of motion in this position was almost more deadly than a frontal assault. Kicking back, her bare foot jammed into one guard's groin, causing him to let go of her hand and giving her enough leverage to form a fist and punch at the other man. Panting heavily as she stood in the midst of the now unconscious bodies, River ripped keys off of one guard's belt, trying to drown out the cries of the women who were begging for help. She would help them, but first she needed to get Malena to safety. Her friend was cowering in the back of her cell as River unlocked the door, her eyes wide.

"Laney," River told her, noting her frightened expression. Moving towards the girl, she reached out a hand and said, "We have to go. Come on."

"They'll kill you," she breathed, her tear-filled eyes lifting to River's face.

Tugging on her hand, River said impatiently, "No, they won't. Come on."

Supporting the girl's trembling form with a strong arm around her waist, River was reaching for one of the discarded prods when the doorway filled with ten more guards, all looking more than angry.

Smiling tightly, River let go of Laney who crawled back towards her cell, as she said, "Wanna play?"

They charged her at once, but it didn't really matter. River fought and kicked with mutated strength, her movements dictated by preprogrammed actions her body would never forget. She had already dropped another seven of them to the floor, when a loud booming voice yelled, "Enough!"

Panting heavily, River whipped around, her stringy and sweaty hair sticking to her face. Looking to the large guard who had spoken, she noted that his uniform was a red color and she guessed it meant he was in charge; all the men currently littering her feet were wearing blue.

Blinking away her battle vision, it took River a moment to bring the man's full image into focus, but when she did, her eyes went wide. He had Laney roughly by the arm, a prod positioned right over her heart. "Drop the weapon and get back in your cell," the guard ordered, pushing the prod even closer to Laney's whimpering form.

Standing to her full height, River placed the silver stick on the ground and backed up slowly, her eyes still full of a feral gleam that would not soon fade; it never did after a fight. "Let her go," she growled, as she stepped just back inside her cell.

Apparently convinced she was indeed standing down, the guard shoved Laney back in her cell, but not before connecting the electric rod to her chest, causing the woman to cry out in agony as he let the burn linger, the smell of charred flesh filling River's nostrils.

As she watched Laney crumple to the ground in the cell beside her, River turned fiery eyes back to the guard and the other two she had yet to dispose of, and watched as they entered her little cell. With no room to fight, and fear of further retaliation on Malena, River let them beat her until she was unconscious.

-- --

When Simon awoke, Kaylee was already gone and he found her out in the dining room with Inara, the two of them going over a fairly elaborate place setting. Moving towards her and kissing her temple, she smiled to him as Inara continued to explain.

"Why do we hafta use three forks?" Kaylee asked, for the third time that morning. "I mean, can't we just lick 'em clean between courses?"

Trying to hide the smile he felt creeping onto his face at Kaylee's innocent question, Simon looked to Inara, wondering how she would handle it. Rubbing a hand over tired eyes, she told her friend, "Mei mei, it's just how things are done. All right?"

Shrugging once, Kaylee said, "Jus' seems like a waste, but all righ'." Glancing over her shoulder to Simon who was sipping a cup of coffee, she asked, "You use all them forks in your family?"

Watching as Inara's eyes widened with annoyance, Simon moved towards Kaylee and said gently, "Bao bei, I don't think forks are the most important thing to be focusing on." He watched as Kaylee's eyes darted back to Inara and read her friend's exasperation. Slumping a bit in her chair, she murmured, "Sorry." After a moment, she looked back to Inara, pulled herself up to the perfect posture they had practiced all day yesterday and asked in an even tone, "What is the next lesson, ma'am?"

Surprised by the lack of Kaylee's usual syntax in her speech, Simon gave a nod of approval to Inara, who shot him a look that clearly conveyed she deserved a medal for her hard work. Leaving the two to finish, Simon drifted out to the patio where Mal and Zoe were talking and Jayne was cleaning his knives.

"Mornin' there, doc," Mal greeted him, turning from Zoe and leaning against the balcony's railing. "So, you ready to be a commoner?"

Smirking at the man, Simon told him, "I'll do whatever it takes to keep an eye on Kaylee, and if that means dressing like a waiter, than so be it."

Smiling, Mal muttered, "Good man," before turning back to his first mate. "You an' Jayne got covers too?"

Nodding once, Zoe told him, "Yes, sir. I'm gonna be waitin' on folk with Simon an' Jayne'll be part of the security."

Raising an eyebrow at the man, Mal told him, "That fake ID you created musta been damn convincin' for someone to hire you to protect folks."

Grinning wide, Jayne held up one of his knives, its silver blade gleaming in the morning sun. "Damn straight," he grunted.

Looking back through the glass door to where Inara and Kaylee were still practicing, Simon stepped up beside Mal and lowered his voice. "Do you really think she can do this?"

Clapping a hand on the younger man's shoulder, he answered, "Look, doc, I known lil' Kaylee a bit longer than you, so let me share a little secret with ya." Simon nodded once and Mal continued. "The girl is smart as a whip when it comes to machines an' she ain't a half bad judge o' character." Sizing Simon up, Mal jabbed, "Her interest in you notwithstanding." As Simon smiled at the joke, Mal added, "She's done helped us outta plenty o' jams 'fore."

Simon nodded again, allowing his eyes to move across the horizon, noting the city's small skyline in the distance. As he took another sip of his coffee, he looked back to Mal and told him, "I know all that, captain. And you didn't answer my question."

As Mal opened his mouth and then closed it again, Simon let out a small sigh and moved from the patio, no one willing to offer empty reassurances.

-- --

It was getting late, but Inara was not done with her pupil just yet. Pulling Kaylee into the center of the living room, she called for Simon as she moved towards the cortex terminal and flipped through some music.

Simon entered, wearing his dress trousers and shirt as part of his costume for that evening. "Did you need something, Inara?" he asked, flashing Kaylee that swai grin.

Looking to him, Inara took his hand as a waltz began to play and led him towards Kaylee. "Yes, I need you to teach Kaylee how to dance."

His eyes widening slightly, he told her, "We don't have a lot of time."

Slapping at his arm, Kaylee told him, "Hey, I ain't a total klutz ya know."

Smiling to her, Simon took her hands in his and kissed them. "I know, bao bei, but some dances are a bit more involved then others. It can take years to master them." As her face blanched at this admission, Simon hurried to add, "But I doubt there will be much of that type of dancing at this party tonight. So, we'll just learn the basics," he said, looking to Inara for confirmation.

As the older woman nodded, she rested a light hand to Kaylee's shoulder and said, "You've been doing a wonderful job, mei mei. I'm going to get ready while Simon's teaching you and then we'll get you ready, all right?"

Kaylee nodded once and then looked to Simon with a wide grin as Inara exited the room, leaving them alone. Leaning in, she kissed him, murmuring against his mouth, "I've been wantin' to be alone with you all day."

Simon kissed her back, but only for a moment, knowing that they did not have the time. Although, he didn't rightly care if Kaylee went through with her part of the plan, but Simon was also aware that the plan had already been set in motion and disrupting it now would only cause more problems; and possibly jeopardize everyone's safety.

"Me too, but something tells me Inara will be very upset if I don't complete my task," he told her, still smiling and she smiled back.

"All right, what's first?" she asked, looking to him with those big, wide eyes.

Stepping back from her, he said, "First, the man will bow and you will curtsy." Simon bowed at the waist, watching as Kaylee curtsied a bit clumsily. Straightening, Simon said, "Have Inara show you that." Frowning a bit, Kaylee nodded and then asked, "Now what?"

Positioning his arms, Simon told her, "You place your right hand on my shoulder. And I'll place my left hand on your waist." He stepped forward and did as he said, taking her left hand in his and holding it up between them.

As the hand he'd placed at her waist drew her close to him, Kaylee grinned and said, "Oh, I like this kinda dancin'."

Simon smiled back at her, wishing that as he was teaching her he wasn't picturing another man's hands on her body. "Well, if the ambassador is at all proper this is as close as he will bring you," he told her, noting the space between them which could probably have fit another person.

"We don't gotta be proper," Kaylee told him, inching closer.

"No, but I need to teach you the right way," he said, noting how she pouted. Leaning in and kissing her, he said, "When this is over, we can dance all you want, and it doesn't have to be proper at all."

Wiggling her eyebrows at him mischievously, Kaylee told him, "I'm holdin' ya to that."

He smiled back at her, lost for a moment in her wide grin and bright eyes. She was so beautiful and he knew the minute he saw her, once again dressed to the nines in the fanciest frock Inara could find, he'd feel his heart pound in his chest with love and protectiveness. Again trying to shake the image from his mind of another man coveting her, Simon blinked rapidly.

"Sweetie?" she asked, noting the discomfort that flashed across his face. "You okay?"

He nodded once, having no desire to make Kaylee anymore nervous than he knew she already was; that's what the entire fork conversation had been about – it was Kaylee's way to abate her anxiety. "Of course, but we'd better get on with it." Tilting his head, he listened to the music, feeling the easy rhythm of the waltz. "Now, remember that the man will lead, so really all you have to do is follow him," Simon said quietly, even as his feet began to move. Kaylee glanced down for a moment, causing herself to stumble.

Taking his hand from hers and lifting her chin up, Simon smiled and said, "Just follow me, Kaylee." She smiled at him, and locked her eyes on his, feeling as if she were floating on a cloud with Simon's strong arms holding her, their feet moving in time to the soft music. As they continued to move, Simon counted softly, giving Kaylee a better feeling for why and how they were moving and she smiled at him.

Despite his insistence that they could later dance any way she so chose, Kaylee felt Simon's hand on the small of her back pull her in close and she nestled her head against his shoulder. Their hands, which were still clasped together rested against his chest, and Kaylee realized in that moment that she had never felt safer or more loved by anyone. As the music ended, they continued to sway a bit, a jaunty foxtrot interrupting the romantic mood.

Glancing up to Simon, Kaylee saw the love and concern in his eyes and she knew that he was doing his best not to forbid her from going. Placing a hand to his cheek, she told him, "I'm gonna be okay, Simon. An' all o' you are gonna be there. There's nothin' to worry 'bout."

Simon nodded once, unable to trust his voice for a moment. Cradling her face in his hands, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her, deeply, passionately, longingly and Kaylee returned the kiss, their lips and tongues expressing the concern that they could not voice at the moment.

As they were forced to part for air, Simon rested his forehead against hers and murmured, "I love you, Kaylee."

"I love you too," she whispered back. Kissing him lightly again, her eyes shone with excitement as she listened to the music and asked, "So, what kinda dance gets done to this?"

-- --

Simon circulated through the increasingly crowded ballroom, offering appetizers to the denizens with a detached interest. He and Zoe had already been at the ambassador's house for close to two hours, having needed to prepare with the rest of the wait staff, and he was getting impatient. He knew that Creighton would arrive late, it was typical at these kinds of events for the host to make a grand entrance, and he knew that Mal and Inara had arranged, through Hellen, for Kaylee to arrive late as well, so it was a bit of a comfort to Simon to know that Kaylee wasn't currently with the man.

As more of the partygoers were announced, Simon caught sight of Jayne, over against a wall, looking for all the world like a respectable bodyguard. He'd been loaned a suit for the evening, a gray suit that did wonders for the man's normally gruff exterior.

Simon moved to head back into the kitchen to refill his tray when he heard the steward announce, "Malcolm Reynolds and Miss Inara Serra." Glancing towards the grand staircase from which everyone was entering, Simon watched as Mal and Inara entered the room. Of course, Inara, the former Companion, looked every bit the role of socialite, her dress, hair and makeup absolutely exquisite, her manner calm and dignified. Mal, on the other hand, was fidgeting in his suit, no doubt complaining about the pants being too tight. With an eye roll, Simon moved in and out of the kitchen quickly, eager to be on the floor when Kaylee and Creighton arrived.

As he made his way around the room towards Mal and Inara, he offered them the tray and noted the way Mal's eyes lit. "Gotta say, doc," he said quietly, dropping his voice to a barely audible level. "I could get used to you waitin' on me."

Keeping his fake smile in place, Simon bit out, "Yeah, well don't. Any sign of Kaylee?"

As Inara reached for one of the treats he was offering, she told him quietly, "I expect them at any minute." She again smiled and then Simon moved off, his gut churning with more anxiety as he continued to wait. He just needed to see Kaylee with his own eyes, to know that she was all right – so far.

Zoe came by a few minutes later, muttering something about rich folk and manners and as Simon drifted close to where Jayne was guarding an entryway, he reminded Simon to keep his cool. Deciding to let the irony of the statement go, he was just about to go back in for another tray when all eyes in the room focused on the stairs and the din of conversation died down to barely a murmur. Looking to the stairs himself, Simon held his breath as the steward announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, your host for this evening, Ambassador Isaiah Creighton and Miss Catherine Lee Frye."

Simon knew he was staring and he knew it was inappropriate, but he could not help himself. As Kaylee, or Catherine for tonight, descended the stairs on Creighton's arm, Simon felt a surge of jealousy, and unbridled love. While it still irked him that this man, whom he did not have a very high opinion of, had bought Kaylee like a piece of property, Simon could not deny how absolutely stunning she looked.

Of course, he thought she looked gorgeous in coveralls and engine grease, but Inara had done an amazing job of highlighting all of her natural beauty and putting it on display for the world to see. Her hair was glowing, the honey color soft and warm in the lights overhead. Half of it was pulled back in an elaborate bun, while the other half fell in soft curls to her shoulders. Her makeup simply served to accentuate her natural glow, her wide, expressive eyes, her perfect lips, but her dress was unbelievable, setting off every curve Kaylee owned in just the right way, making her look like the gorgeous creature that she was.

Fighting the urge to charge across the room and take her in his arms, Simon hurried to quickly refill his tray and then circulate again towards the ambassador and Kaylee. He heard a few snippets of conversation as he approached, heard Kaylee's lilting voice, speaking perfectly as Inara had coached her, averting her eyes at the compliments she was receiving, greeting the people the ambassador introduced her to.

Simon stepped towards their group, making certain he leaned in by her shoulder. As she glanced to him and continued to smile that wide grin, he noticed a flash in her eyes; she was having fun. Letting out a silent sigh of relief he left as quickly as he came, unwilling to jeopardize all they had worked for, just to stay close. Besides, he could watch her just as easily from a distance.

-- --

Mal and Inara were dancing, their eyes on Kaylee and the ambassador as they entered the room. Mal twirled her around the room in silence, only tensing slightly when he noticed Simon approach them. "I swear, if that doc …" Mal murmured, but with a sigh of relief, he watched Simon go as quickly as he'd come and then turned back to Inara.

"I gotta hand it to the kid," he told her, again gazing at her beautiful face. "He's handling this a mite better than I would."

Raising an eyebrow to him, Inara murmured, "A mite better than you have." As he spun her about and she again came back to rest her hand on his shoulder, she teased, "Need I remind you about Atherton Wing?"

Grimacing, Mal told her, "Please don't."

She laughed lightly and they continued to dance in silence, each of them taking just a moment to enjoy themselves. As the music stopped and they stepped to the side of the floor, they were greeted by Mitchell, a jovial smile on his features.

"Mister Reynolds, Miss Serra, I'm so glad you could come," he told them, shaking Mal's hand and kissing Inara's. "And I know the ambassador is looking forward to speaking with you as well."

Nodding politely to him, Inara stepped forward and asked, "You didn't get a chance to discuss my request with him, did you?"

Frowning slightly, the man answered, "I honestly felt it would be much more convincing coming from you." Moving away quickly, he told them, "Please, enjoy yourselves and let us know if there's anything we can do to make your time with us more pleasant."

Inara and Mal both nodded politely watching the man go. As Mal guided Inara towards the bar across the room, he whispered, "Well, the guy could tell me where my ruttin' pilot an' your sister are. That would make my time more pleasant."

Placing a light hand to his arm, Inara said quietly, "Patience, Mal. We can't rush this and run the risk of leaving with nothing."

Squeezing the hand she'd placed to his arm, he took a deep breath and said, "I know, darlin'. Jus' keep remindin' me."

She smiled lightly and then let him order their drinks, doing her best to calm her own rising impatience.

-- --

Light and darkness crept slowly into River's consciousness and she wished they would both go away. She knew she was awake, the pain she felt pulsing through each limb, through each layer of flesh told her that, but there wasn't much she could see; her vision was obscured, one eye swollen shut, the other half-closed.

Even as noise joined the sensations of hurt, the presence of light, River did not move. She wasn't at all certain she could; the sharp pain that coursed through her arms and back and legs was so intense that even lying still she found her breath stolen for seconds, minutes at a time as one spike of agony enveloped her, washing down her body in a slow trickle that brought tears to her eyes and caused her cheeks to sting as the salt water fell into fresh cuts.

"I told you they'd kill you."

This noise was soft and gentle, even if it was scared and while River wanted to turn her head and assure the speaker that she was not dead, she didn't have the strength and so instead, all she could do was listen as Malena spoke to her, her voice hardly more than a whisper that River had to strain to hear.

"I really liked you. I thought maybe you'd make my last few weeks okay in here. But you don't escape from hell. You just don't. No one ever has." A heavy sigh; then, "I'm sorry they beat you so badly. I'm sorry you thought you had to rescue me." A wet sigh, filled with tears; then, "I know that's why Inara brought you here, to rescue me. But it's okay. I want to die. It's time for me to die."

The lightest touch ghosted across River's hair and she heard more sound as doors were unlocked and women were pulled out for that evening's performance. "I'm sorry," the voice whispered, before leaving with the others; leaving River alone.

The pain she felt, the agony and hurt, paled in comparison to the anguish of resignation she'd felt from Malena, and River cried more tears, not moving, even as the music blared again.

-- --

"I must say, my dear, you really are lovely."

Kaylee smiled shyly, as Inara had instructed, averting her gaze to the dance floor, as Isaiah spun them about. He had asked her to dance almost immediately and so now, here they were, four dances later, waltzing as she and Simon had done earlier that day. As Kaylee again brought her eyes to her escort's face, she had to wonder if maybe Inara and the captain weren't a little wrong about the ambassador.

He was a tad standoffish and a bit guarded to be sure, but so far, Kaylee had not picked up on any inappropriate behavior. He had been nothing but gentlemanly to her all evening, complimenting her looks, offering to get her drinks, introducing her to his guests. She knew that it was all part of the show, a man like Isaiah Creighton did not earn the professional reputation he had by not acting precisely as expected. But still … Kaylee was less and less convinced the longer she spent with him that he was the monster they had assumed.

"Thank you, Ambassador," she said quietly, her eyes widening imperceptibly as the hand he held to her waist pulled her a bit closer. They were quickly losing that proper distance Simon had instructed her about and now, their bodies were almost touching. Trying not to tense, she smiled to him and said, "It's a wonderful party. And you have a lovely home."

He smiled back at her, drawing her even closer and Kaylee did her best to stay relaxed. He guided her footsteps with the same assuredness Simon had, but it was different, dancing with this man than it had been dancing with her boyfriend. While Simon's touch had been gentle and true, Kaylee was finding that as Isaiah twirled her now, his hands were a bit stronger than they had been only moments before. And now, they were touching, her body flush with his and Kaylee found it uncomfortable. She knew she shouldn't, but she did and as the music stopped, she let out a deep breath and said, "Would you mind terribly if we sat this one out? I'm getting a bit winded."

If Isaiah did mind, it didn't show on his face. Taking her hand, he looped it through his arm and led her to the edge of the dance floor. "Of course, my dear. I wouldn't want to tire you out so early in the evening," he said, this last part murmured against her ear as he pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek.

Kaylee continued to smile, her earlier assertion that maybe he was a gentleman fading quickly as he grasped the hand he held tightly. "I have much planned for us before this night is over," he confided, drawing Kaylee's eyes to his face. She could see his intentions and while Kaylee knew it was all part of what he thought he'd bought and paid for, it still made her stomach churn. How had Inara done this?

As Isaiah greeted another guest and introduced her, still keeping a tight, possessive hold of the hand he held, Kaylee told him, "I need to freshen up. I'll be right back."

He nodded once, reluctantly letting her go, his eyes following her out of the room and lingering on her backside as she walked away. As soon as Kaylee was out of the ballroom, she took a few more steps and rounded another corner. The hallway was empty and she sank onto a plush divan that sat against the wall, obscured from immediate view by a large potted plant. Resting her head in her hands she let out a deep sigh and tried to collect herself. She could do this. The night was almost over and she'd so far managed to convince him and everyone that she was a registered Companion. So why were her hands shaking and her insides burning?

A light hand to her shoulder made her jump and as she looked up, she was more than thankful to see Simon standing over her. Kneeling beside her, he asked quietly, "Are you all right?"

She nodded once, smiling weakly and then rose, knowing it would do no good for the two of them to be caught looking so comfortable together. "Yeah, I'm fine, just needed a second is all."

His blue eyes conveyed his disbelief in her statement and Kaylee took a step closer to him and whispered, "I'm fine, Simon." Moving away, she was surprised when he reached for her hand. Looking down to their interlaced fingers, she told him, "We can't be seen together."

Simon nodded and then tugged her towards him. "I just wanted to tell you how radiant you look," he whispered against her cheek, pressing a kiss to the same spot the ambassador had only moments before. Where the other man's kiss had caused a shiver of discomfort to race down her spine, Simon's sent a shiver of content and she smiled to him as she continued to back up, heading for the ballroom and back to her date's side.

"It's almost over," she whispered to him, before disappearing around the corner.

Allowing a heavy sigh to escape his lips, Simon hoped that were true.

-- --

As they watched Kaylee leave the ambassador's side, Inara tugged on Mal's hand and said, "Come on, we've waited long enough."

Crossing the room to him, they waited a respectable number of seconds while he shared some small talk with an older couple, before approaching. Inara cleared her throat quietly, and said, "Excuse me. Ambassador?"

"Yes?" he answered before turning to fully face them. His eyes widened a bit at the sight of the beautiful woman before him and Isaiah had a brief pang of longing that she wasn't his date instead of the girlish thing they had paired him with. Smiling widely to her, he asked, "May I help you?"

Smiling back, Inara didn't miss the look of desire in his eyes, although she was fairly certain Mal did, which was probably for the best. Extending a hand to him, she said, "I certainly hope so. My name is Inara Serra, and this is my escort, Malcolm Reynolds."

Creighton bent low over Inara's hand, kissing it lightly, and then shook Mal's. He took the moment, with his eyes focused to the floor to collect himself. Mitchell had warned him about these two, had told him exactly why they had come barging into his home just a day before, asking for money and assistance in finding Malena.

As he straightened, he smiled back to Inara and kept a hold of the hand he held, drawing the two of them farther from the dance floor and the crowd. Dropping his voice, he said, "I was so sorry to hear of your sister's disappearance." Inara watched him carefully as he spoke, looking for the lie, but with the conviction of a politician, he continued. "She was a beautiful dancer and a boon to the ballet."

Affecting her most polite grin, Inara answered, "Thank you. I appreciate your sympathy, however, I was hoping you might be willing to help me look for her."

With a surprised look, Creighton backed up from her a bit. Yes, indeed, this woman would have been a much more suitable companion for him that evening; she was forthright, beautiful and unbelievably sexy. Just the thought of watching her submit to his will sent a shot of desire straight to his groin and he fought to control himself.

Focusing back on the issue at hand, he told her, "I'm afraid that really isn't possible, Miss Serra. I cannot lend my name to an active criminal investigation. My political reputation and responsibilities would suffer and as a result, so would the people who've elected me." Squeezing the hand he still held a bit more tightly than necessary, he told her, "I'm sorry."

Inara continued to smile politely although she very much wanted to slap the man. Looking to Mal quickly, he smiled at her softly, as she turned back to the ambassador and nodded. "Of course, I would hate to cause the people of Paquin any distress by jeopardizing your career. Thank you for listening."

He nodded once and then told them, "Please continue to enjoy yourselves. There is plenty of food and fine wine." As they smiled their thanks, he confided, "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a very lovely date who has disappeared on me. I need to go find her."

Watching him walk away, Inara waited until she knew he was out of earshot, before turning to Mal. "Now what?" he asked quietly, feeling the very real desire to beat the ambassador into a pulp.

"Now, we get our information the old-fashioned way," she told him, her lips pressed into a thin line. "We steal it."

His eyes lighting with a devilish spark, Mal took her hand and said, "That's my girl."

-- --


	11. Chapter 10

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 10

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 10**

Rating: NC-17

Warning: This chapter is a dark one folks, involving abuse and sexual assault. Read at your own risk …

-- --

On his way across the room in search of Catherine, Isaiah caught sight of Mitchell and pulled the man from the room. Once they were in the hallway outside, standing within a recessed alcove, he bit out, "That Serra woman is a problem."

Grimacing, Mitchell told him, "That was my assessment as well. I figured having them here was preferable to having them out of our sight."

Nodding once, Isaiah thought on that statement. His mind was still consumed with the beauty of Malena's sister. As was usual for him, once he saw a woman he deemed worthy to sleep with, he had a hard time banishing any of those thoughts from his mind. Yes, indeed, he needed to find his rented whore so he could at least relieve some of this tension.

"Keep an eye on them," Isaiah ordered, his tone harsh. "I don't like that man she's with either. He doesn't belong with a woman like her. My guess would be he's more than he seems."

"Do you want me to – detain – them?" Mitchell asked cautiously, dropping his voice to a low growl.

Shaking his head, Isaiah said, "There's no reason I can see at this point. They can't find the sister or any of the other girls. It's not as if I've left them in plain sight," he reminded the man, both of them sharing an evil smirk. "They'll be gone soon enough and then we'll be free to do as we wish."

Mitchell nodded once, noting the dismissal and he stepped out from the small space, heading back to the ballroom. Isaiah followed moments later, still in search of Catherine. While neither man had been overly cautious, they both missed the sight of Kaylee, standing within a few feet of their previous hiding place.

More fear churned in her gut now as she realized they'd all been right; Isaiah did know something, he had taken Malena and the others. Taking a deep breath to collect herself, she hurried to the ballroom, trying not to look panicked, her eyes roving over the room for Simon, Zoe, Jayne, any of them. She had to tell them what she'd heard so they would be careful.

Searching for Simon, Kaylee bit her lip as she didn't see him and was just about to head for Jayne, when a strong hand clamped around her elbow. Letting out a bit of a startled sound, she turned to meet Isaiah's hard gaze and quickly tried to hide her surprise. "Oh, Ambassador, you startled me."

Smiling tightly, Kaylee did not at all like the look in his eyes or the way his fingers were digging into her flesh. "I wonder, my dear, if we might get a few moments alone? I'd really like us to get better acquainted."

How Kaylee kept smiling she would never fully understand as she knew exactly what the ambassador meant. Nodding slightly, she allowed him to pull her from the room, her mind working furiously to come up with a plan.

-- --

Jayne watched Mal and Inara head out of the room, their pace quicker than he normally liked. Moving to intercept them, he passed Zoe, the tall woman's eyes locked on Mitchell. She had seen him leave the room and then re-enter a few moments later. She had seen him speak with Mal and Inara, and knew, based on rough description from the security guard at the theater, that he was the man who had taken River.

Thankful that Kaylee was not posing as his date, Zoe circled the dance floor, cursing the stiffness of the vest and pants she wore. She'd never fully understand how exactly regular folk moved without the feel of a gun strapped to their hip. She had one still, of course, a small pistol sitting snugly in her boot, but she would have given anything at that moment for her shotgun.

As Jayne moved to intercept Mal and Inara and Zoe began to track Mitchell, Simon returned from meeting Kaylee in the hallway. He was bothered by this whole scenario and his trepidation was only growing. Receiving a scowl from his "boss" for the evening, Simon hurried forward to grab a tray full of food, intent on finding Kaylee and the ambassador again and sticking as close as possible.

Of course, by the time he realized they were missing, it would already be too late.

-- --

As soon as Creighton had pulled her from the ballroom, Kaylee had felt her heart pounding in her chest. They did not walk at a particularly hurried pace, but Kaylee could tell that he was anxious to be somewhere else, and with her, if his fingers that dug into the flesh of her elbow were any indication.

Trying to think of something to distract him, she asked politely, "Are you sure you can afford to leave your own party?"

With a wicked grin that made Kaylee's stomach churn, he took the hand he had on her elbow and wrapped the entire arm around her waist, pulling her close. "My dear, I can afford to do anything I want." Kissing her cheek again, he whispered hotly in her ear, "And I paid for what I could afford."

Smiling weakly, Kaylee felt even worse as he pushed open a door at the end of the corridor, far away from the crowd of the ball and led her inside. It was a beautiful room, and had Kaylee been there under different circumstances she probably would have admired the leather couches, the walls full of art, the pedestals adorned sculpture. As Creighton shut the heavy door, Kaylee turned to face him and smiled wide. _It's just a game_, she kept repeating. _Just play your part, Kaywinnet_.

As he approached her, Kaylee moved towards him, batting her eyelashes. Glancing to the sideboard as his hands encircled her waist and pulled her flush against him, she asked, "Maybe we could have a drink first? It's been a while since I tasted fine brandy."

Still grinning that evil smile, Creighton dipped his head towards hers and nipped at her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood, before backing away from her and going to fix their drinks. As Kaylee let out a small cry of shock, pressing a finger to her now bleeding lip, he turned back to her and said, "That will be the first of many screams you make tonight, my dear."

Shuddering violently as he again turned away from her, Kaylee looked around for any kind of distraction. Noticing a particularly interesting piece of sculpture across the room, Kaylee walked to admire it and asked, "This is so unusual. Where ever did you find it?"

Moving towards her, he extended a glass to her and ignored her question. "We didn't come in here to discuss art, Catherine, now did we?" Before she could answer, he slugged back his shot of brandy in one gulp and looked to her. "Drink up."

Kaylee took a sip of the warm liquid, knowing that if she drank too much of it she would simply throw it up. As she drank, as slowly as possible, Creighton moved towards her again, his own empty glass forgotten on a nearby table. Moving his hands back to her waist, he pulled her tight to him, and Kaylee felt his growing arousal through his pants and her dress, pressing into her thigh, as he rubbed along her, his hands moving to her backside and squeezing.

Having taken a sip of her drink, Kaylee choked a bit on the liquid, backing up from him and turning directly into the room's big desk. "Why ambassador," she said, trying valiantly to keep her mask in place. "So early in the evening? What will people say?"

Looking to her through narrowed eyes, Kaylee felt her cheeks flush under his scrutiny. Standing before her, his hands took her forearms roughly, and tugging, he brought her flat against him, the only thing keeping him from violating her the layers of clothes they had on. "You know, for a registered Companion you seem awfully concerned about what other people will think?" he muttered, dropping his mouth to her neck and kissing her there. As Kaylee shuddered, her skin crawling as his hands covered her, his mouth sucking at her flesh so hard she knew it would leave a mark, she finally managed to press her palms flat to his chest and murmur, "Ambassador please. You're hurting me."

Pulling his mouth away for a moment, his look was even more debased than before and Kaylee knew the revulsion she felt was obvious on her face. "That's the idea, isn't it?" he asked, snaking his hand under the collar of her dress, his fingers moving across her collarbone. He tried to reach further, but the high-necked outfit blocked his path. As Kaylee continued to squirm against him, he ripped the fabric away, exposing half of her chest to him and squeezed her breast harshly in his hand.

"My dress," Kaylee exclaimed, eyes wide as he again sucked on her neck, his teeth digging into the flesh and making her cry out in pain.

"So sorry, my dear, but it was in my way," he murmured, his lips against her skin as he moved his mouth to hers and kissed her roughly, plunging his tongue into her mouth, his hands groping and kneading every part of her.

Disgusted and quickly panicking, Kaylee managed to push him away roughly, yelling, "Get offa me!"

Creighton backed up for a second in shock and Kaylee took the opening to charge towards the closed door across the room. As she reached for the handle, Creighton's hand wrapped firmly around her wrist and whirling her around, he slammed her hard against the door, holding both of her hands up and over her head.

As Kaylee felt tears come, she saw the angry and hateful look in his eyes and she realized she'd made a grave mistake in ever thinking she could do this. Stepping close to her, his face barely an inch from hers, he spat, "You're no Companion. You're no more than a filthy whore!"

"No," Kaylee told him, her eyes wild. "No, that's not true. I am, I am a companion," she stammered, knowing that it was the only thing that might save her from bodily harm; that is, if Creighton gave a damn about his reputation.

"Who sent you?" he asked, his voice again deadly quiet. As Kaylee refused to answer, he tightened his grip on her pinned hands, causing her to whimper. "There you are," he murmured, and she watched as his eyes lingered on her face, her lips, her neck, down her body and back again. "That's a sound I'd like to hear more of." Pressing her back even more harshly into the door, Kaylee cried out a bit and he asked again, "Who sent you?"

"No-no one," she stuttered, her voice shaky as she was finding it hard to breathe.

"Well, then, I guess no one will care when I beat you to death," he told her, and letting go of one of her hands, his fist connected with her cheek, causing her head to slam back against the door with a crack. As Kaylee tried to clear her suddenly blurred vision, he whipped her around and threw her quite handily across the room. Kaylee went down hard on her knees, using her wrists to break her fall and jamming them in the process. Scrambling away from him, she tripped over her dress and let out another cry as his strong hand curled around her head and yanked sharply.

Bringing his face to within inches of hers again, Kaylee could smell the liquor and venom on his breath as he told her, "No woman makes a fool of me." With that, he lashed out at her again, slapping her so hard Kaylee had a hard time staying conscious. Her neck twisted a bit as he hit her again, switching to the other cheek, and soon, Kaylee tasted blood as it flowed from her nose and a cut along her forehead and toward her lips.

Dropping her to the ground, he watched her whimper for a moment, sizing up what exactly he would do next. He had so many plans for this little whore, it was hard to choose. Deciding, he undid the belt he wore, cracking it between his hands like a whip and standing over her menacingly, he muttered, "Filthy whore," before connecting the leather sharply with her back.

-- --

Simon was starting to panic. He had already circled the room twice and he had not found Kaylee or Creighton. He'd watched her walk back towards the ballroom, and had thought for sure he'd seen her again enter the room. Looking for Zoe and Jayne, Simon finally spotted the tall woman as she came back into view from watching Mitchell leave to go to the bathroom.

"Zoe," Simon whispered, taking her arm and pulling her out of immediate sight. "Where's Kaylee?"

Her eyes widening imperceptibly, Zoe felt a very cold knot settle in her stomach. "She ain't here?"

Frowning at her, Simon was about to make a retort, when Jayne found them, worry evident on his features. "Hey doc, when's the last time you saw lil' Kaylee?"

His heart sinking to his feet, Simon's face paled as he asked, "Why?"

"'Cause, I done lost sight of her, an' I ain't seen her for goin' on ten minutes now." Jayne's eyes still darted around the room, hoping to catch Kaylee dancing or laughing somewhere so that he wouldn't have to worry. But no such luck.

Grabbing for them both, Simon ordered, "Find her," and before he could give any further instruction, he walked hurriedly from the room, having no idea where to look and praying the entire time that his bao bei was all right.

-- --

"You sure we should be in here?" Mal asked in a loud whisper, as he and Inara quickly picked the lock on Creighton's office and stepped into the darkened interior.

With a frown, she asked him, "You're asking me? Which one of us is the criminal?"

Returning her frown as they both moved across the room and towards the large desk, Mal muttered, "I prefer Independent Business Owner."

With a roll of her eyes, Inara let the issue drop, flicking on a small desk lamp so they could at least see something. As she started pawing through papers on the man's desk, Mal asked, "What exactly is it we're lookin' for?"

Shrugging, Inara did not pause to answer him, but said, "I'm not sure. Anything that might tell us where he'd be secreting away young women for some unsavory purpose."

Mal swallowed his immediate sarcastic response, knowing that Inara was doing her best to stay focused on the task at hand so she wouldn't lose sight of their goal. He knew that the thought of her sister, suffering somewhere, had caused her to have many a sleepless night and many a nightmare and he kept digging, hoping to find something to bring them both to an end.

At the sound of someone outside, they both froze, eyes immediately flying to the closed door. When the sound of footsteps receded, Inara let out an audible breath and whispered harshly, "Hurry!"

Just as Mal was about to tell her he was hurrying, he moved down to open one of Creighton's drawers and found it locked. "Well, lookie here," he murmured. Pulling out the kit they'd used to pick open the office door, Mal had the lock jimmied in seconds and stared at the opening in surprise for a moment.

"Huh."

Glancing up from where she was rifling through a few data sheets, Inara asked, "What?"

Looking to her, Mal scratched the back of his head and asked, "Why would a man lock an empty drawer?"

Puzzlement on her own features, Inara circled around to stare into the empty space herself. Confusion quickly gave way to realization though and placing down the pile of sheets she had, she told him, "Bring that light over here."

Mal did as she instructed, watching as she knelt in front of the drawer, and pressed against the bottom of it. As she continued to poke and prod at the unforgiving surface, Mal commented quietly, "Ah, 'Nara. I don't think you pressin' on it's gonna make anything appear."

Scowling at him, she didn't bother to look up as she explained. "No, Mal, the drawer has a false bottom. I'm just trying to figure out how to-" As he heard a faint click, Inara did finally look up to him a wide grin on her features. "Open it," she finished, leaning back down to lift up the now loose piece of wood and pull out the metal box it concealed.

Lifting it to the desk, Mal kissed her cheek and said, "That was the gorram sexiest thing I've ever seen."

Wiggling her eyebrows at him, Inara simply worked to open the box, and when she'd sprung the latch, she grimaced. Turning back to Mal, she said softly, "Bingo."

-- --

Kaylee wished he would stop. Her arms and legs were throbbing with pain as his belt again connected with them. She had tried to crawl away from him, tried to find somewhere to hide where he could not find her, but her responses were slowing as the pain increased.

Sagging into the floor, she tensed for the next hit, surprised when it didn't come. Barely lifting her head, she could see him through swollen eyes and let another whimper escape her mouth as she watched him undo his pants. Trying to move, he had her pinned in moments, his hand connecting again with her face as she tried to claw at him. "No, no, please!" She begged him to stop. "Don't, please, don't do this! He-"

Her cry was cut off as he clamped a hand over her mouth, lowering his face to hers. "No one cares about a lowly whore," he whispered vehemently, his erection rubbing against her roughly and causing her to move. With a look of sick pleasure on his features, he told her, "Oh, you're going to be a good one, I can tell." Removing his hand and replacing it with his mouth, Kaylee again tried to beat on him, but with a speed she wasn't prepared for he pinned her hands to her sides, locking them close with his knees as they straddled her hips.

Turning her head from side to side, Kaylee felt a rough hand slide up her dress and along her thigh, pausing to grab at her flesh, digging in hard enough to leave a bruise. Shuddering violently at his touch, she tried to kick him off, but he was stronger than her and he knew it. As his fingers curled around her underwear, Kaylee bucked her hips against him, only getting another sick sigh of pleasure from him. "Oh yes, perfect," he moaned. Kaylee again tried to scream, but with another strike of his fist, he shut her up, his other hand clamped back over her mouth.

"I will get what I paid for," he told her huskily as he shifted to strip her, removing the final barrier between them, so he could force himself into her.

"Kaylee!"

The sound of Simon bursting into the room was like music to Kaylee's ears. She could not see him, but she felt her breath return to her lungs as Creighton clumsily stood. Rolling onto her side, Kaylee crawled away slowly, trying to find the darkest and smallest corner of the room to hide in.

Simon's eyes burned with a rage he had never felt before – even when he'd finally learned what the Alliance had done to his sister. As Creighton lunged for him, Simon swung his fist and connected it with the man's face, causing him to stagger back.

"You stupid, son of a whore!" he spat, advancing on Creighton as he steadied himself against a couch. "How dare you!" Taking another swing, Simon was able to land this one right on his still sensitive nose from where River had punched it just a few days ago.

Not waiting until he had fully recovered, the ambassador charged at Simon, barreling into him and knocking him to the floor. Simon fell hard, the wind knocked from him and as he coughed at the impact, Creighton brought his fist down hard on his jaw, snapping Simon's head back so it connected with the floor underneath.

As Creighton brought both of his hands to Simon's neck and began to squeeze, he taunted, "How adorable. A waiter in love with a whore."

The insult made Simon snap and he fought hard against the man's grip, pushing his hands up and covering Creighton's nose and mouth. He'd seen Jayne do this once, a long time ago and it had worked. As Creighton's face turned red from lack of oxygen, his grip loosened ever so slightly and Simon used all of his strength and body weight to roll the man off of him. His attacker crashing to the floor and panting for air, Simon lifted his head and whispered vehemently, "She is not a whore!" before he slammed it into the ground, Creighton's body going limp with unconsciousness as Jayne and Zoe burst into the room.

Simon did not pay them any attention as he stood slowly, trying to keep the room from spinning and looked for Kaylee. The sound of her whimpering led him to her and he rushed to her side. She had wedged herself tightly against the wall, her head turned away from the center of the room. With her knees pulled up to her chest, she had tried to cover herself, Creighton's violent touch having ripped her dress in several places.

Kneeling beside her, Simon kept his distance, not wanting to frighten her further, although the only thing he wanted at that moment was to hold her and keep her safe forever. Reaching out a light hand, he gently touched her shoulder and she flinched, screaming slightly as she whipped her head around to look at him. Simon felt more anger and more fear grip his heart as he finally saw her face. Her right cheek was swollen and bruised almost beyond recognition, her right eye swollen shut, while blood from a gash in her forehead flowed down her cheek.

"Kaylee?" he murmured softly, hoping she could recognize him. "Kaylee, can you hear me? It's me, Simon."

Looking to him, Kaylee shifted slightly in his direction and whispered hoarsely, "Creighton-"

"He can't hurt you anymore, Kaylee," Simon told her, fighting to keep his voice steady. He risked edging a bit in her direction and she did not flinch away this time. "He's not ever going to hurt you again." Crossing the minor distance between them, Simon reached up and ran his hand gently through her hair and Kaylee leaned into his touch.

Reopening her eyes to him, she murmured, "Simon?"

"I'm here," he told her, moving just a bit closer and opening his arms. With a strangled sob, she fell against him, and he held her close, whispering words of love and apology to her over and over again. As he tried to hold her tight, she cried out, his hands aggravating the welts and bruises on her skin.

Loosening his hold, Simon hefted her into his arms and she rocked into his chest, her body still shaking uncontrollably. "I've got to get her home," he told his friends. Zoe's eyes were narrow and cold as she looked from Kaylee to Creighton and back again. Jayne's expression was unreadable as he now realized just what kind of a hun dan this ambassador was and that River and the others were in more trouble than he could ever have guessed.

"I need-" Simon's statement was cut off as Mal and Inara entered the room, closing the door behind them and locking it.

"Could you have made more noise?" Mal bit out, turning from the door and stopping short at the sight of Kaylee in Simon's embrace. Inara had moved to her side instantly, her eyes filling with tears. Reaching out a shaky hand that never touched her, Inara murmured, "Oh, mei mei."

"She all right?" Mal asked, stepping forward and placing a steadying hand on Inara's shoulder.

Simon nodded once and then said, "I've got to get her home, she needs to rest and I need to treat these wounds." Looking to them intently, he asked, "Did you find what you need?"

Holding up a few data sticks, Inara smiled grimly and told him, "We did."

"So what's the plan then?" Jayne asked.

Within minutes the crewmates had outlined the best course of action. Moving with Simon towards the floor to ceiling windows in the room that would lead out into a private garden, Mal told him, "Take care of her."

Simon nodded to him and then said quietly, "Save my sister."

Mal returned the nod and then watched as Simon left, the boy moving quite stealthily considering he was carrying Kaylee in his arms. Trying to banish the sight of her from his mind as it only churned his gut, Mal turned back to the rest of his crew.

Pointing to Jayne and Zoe, he told them, "All right, you an' you, stay here 'til the authorities arrive an' make sure that piece of gou shi never sees the light of day again."

Nodding once, Zoe kept her small gun trained on the man, as Mal and Inara headed out the way Simon had gone. "Let's go get your sis," Mal told her, and within minutes they were charging out into the night.

-- --


	12. Chapter 11

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 11

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 11**

Rating: R

References to sexual assault

-- --

The next time River awoke she could barely see anything. Her eyes had almost fully swollen shut. The only relief she felt was from where her bare cheek touched the cool, dirt floor, helping to lessen the burning in her skin as her body started to fight off infection.

There was also nothing to hear. The music she had passed out to before was gone, replaced with the soft whimpers of pain and fear and the sound of women sleeping, but these noises were far too faint for River, in her current condition, to make out.

Risking the pain that movement would cause, River shifted slightly, slowly until she was facing the next cell and she was not at all surprised to make out Malena's blurry form regarding her steadily.

"I figured you'd be too stubborn to die," she whispered, her voice harsh with pain. She was slumped against the bars, as if the cold metal was the only thing keeping her upright. "At least you can move now."

Clearing her throat, it took River several moments to work up enough saliva to speak. "I wish I couldn't," she rasped, causing a small grin to grace Malena's face. Fighting the pain in her head and limbs, River sat up slowly, closing her eyes as the room began to spin. Nausea welling in her gut, she vomited a few times, before turning back to Malena with a watery smile. "They're coming for us," she told her friend, reaching out a shaky hand to grasp at hers.

Shaking her head sadly, Malena told her, "River, you got hit in the head one too many times. No one is coming for us."

Smiling, despite the stab of pain it caused, River repeated, "They're coming."

-- --

Using all the credits he had, Simon rented a hovercar to get him and Kaylee back to the darkened apartment. She had not stirred since he'd taken her from the room and Simon kept himself from panicking by checking her pulse, which was steady, every few seconds. He'd wrapped his jacket around her still shaking form and held her in his lap as the car sped along, ignoring the curious looks from the driver.

As he entered the apartment and locked the door behind him, he carried her back to River's bedroom where they had been staying and gently laid her on the bed. Checking to be sure she was as comfortable as possible, Simon rushed to the bathroom and gathered all the supplies he could find, reaching for his med kit in the process as well. Filling up a bowl with warm water, he dug out a wash cloth from under the sink and made it back to Kaylee's side in record time.

He stopped short in the doorway, surprised to find that she had shifted positions, curling up against the headboard, his coat wrapped tight around her as she continued to shiver and cry silent tears. Putting down the supplies on the bedside table, Simon turned on the lamp, casting a warm light in the room that made Kaylee flinch. "Turn it off," she murmured hoarsely.

Puzzled, Simon did as she asked. "Why?"

"Don't want ya t'see," came her harsh reply and Simon felt his heart pound against his ribcage. Moving closer to her, he stopped as she curled in tighter to herself.

"Kaylee?" he asked, his voice gentle and soothing. "Kaylee, I need to treat your wounds. I need to …" he trailed off, unable to finish the statement.

So Kaylee did it for him. "He didn't, Simon," she said, her voice emotionless. "He almost did, but he din't." Looking to him, her big eyes still full of fear, she murmured, "You stopped 'im."

Feeling his own eyes burn with emotion, Simon murmured, "I'm so sorry, Kaylee. I never should have-"

"It's my fault," she said, her voice still toneless. "I thought I could do it. I thought I could handle a man like that." Looking to him again, she murmured, "It was my fault."

Simon risked edging closer again and she didn't pull away from him this time. "No, Kaylee, it's not. No man has the right to touch a woman that way," he told her, his voice a bit sharper than he'd intended as his anger and disgust showed through.

"He thought he owned me," Kaylee choked out, her voice thick with tears. "He thought …" With big, wide eyes that were full of tears, she told him, "He hurt me."

Nodding once, Simon swallowed hard and said softly, "I know. But I won't let anything like that happen, ever again." Reaching out he took one of her bruised hands in his and kissed it gently. "I promise."

Kaylee did not move any closer to him, only cried more, finally pulling her hand from his grasp so she could bury her face in them. She winced as her hand came in contact with her swollen cheek. Reaching for the bowl of water and the rag, Simon told her, "Kaylee, bao bei, I really need to clean that. Please?"

She looked to him and nodded slightly, sliding towards him a bit. She was still shaking and Simon watched as she tried to keep herself covered in what was left of her dress. As he dabbed at the wound on her forehead he asked softly, "Do you want to change? I can get you some pajamas."

She nodded once, having lost the will and the energy to speak. Simon finished dabbing at the cut to leave and get her a change of clothes, the night clothes she had packed, but didn't sleep in, normally choosing to wear his instead.

Handing them to her, he said softly, "I'll leave you to change." As he turned to go, her voice stopped him. "Simon?"

Swallowing thickly and trying to control his own emotions, he turned back to her as she said, "It hurts too much."

Moving back to her side, he asked her, "Do you want my help?" He normally wouldn't hesitate but after the way she'd been violated, he didn't want to assume anything.

And Kaylee knew it. Reaching up, she placed a shaky hand to his face and said softly, "I ain't afraid o' you, sweetie." Her eyes filled with more tears as she said, "I jus' … I …" She broke off again as more tears came and Simon reached up gently to run a hand down her uninjured cheek.

Releasing a huge breath, Simon murmured again, "I am so sorry, Kaylee."

"It weren't your fault, Simon. Please don't say that," she sobbed, her emotions again overwhelming her. "I shoulda been stronger."

Shaking his head, Simon told her, "Kaylee, you are strong and brave and unbelievably amazing. I don't know how I-"

Pressing a finger to his mouth, Kaylee told him, "Don't, Simon, don't blame yourself, please."

He held her gaze for a minute more and then Kaylee slowly shrugged out of his jacket, every part of her aching as she moved. Simon helped her, his hands gentle, his touch light. Kaylee shivered a few times, but it was more from the cold and memory than from fear. Simon's hands were so different from Creighton's she could not equate the two in her mind.

As he helped her with her dress, Simon gave her a blanket to cover up with while he treated the large welts and bruises that the man's belt had left behind. Kaylee turned onto her stomach for him so he had easier access, sobbing silent tears into the pillow until it was soaked through. Moving the antiseptic and the warm cloth over each damaged piece of skin only made Simon angrier. As he exposed more of Kaylee's injuries he wished vehemently that he had killed that son of a bitch.

Trying to stifle his growing anger and focus on Kaylee, what she needed, what she needed from him, Simon asked her to roll over. She did so willingly and in the dim light that she had allowed him to turn on, he saw the large purple bruise on the inside of her thigh. Choking back his anguish as he realized he'd almost been too late, Simon's fingers ghosted over the mark and Kaylee flinched at the contact.

As if he'd been shocked, Simon snapped his hand away, feeling like a monster for causing her reaction. Kaylee, more tears in her eyes, knew that Simon would berate himself and she rose slowly and with difficulty to reach for his hand. As he brought his eyes back to her face, she murmured, "Jus' give me some time, 'kay?"

"All the time in the world, bao bei," he told her softly, his hand to her face. "I'm sorry."

"You're jus' tryin' to help, I know that," she reminded him. He nodded once, reaching towards her again to finish cleaning and dressing the gash on her forehead and then dab at the other welts on her chest.

As she looked to the pajamas he'd handed her, she frowned at him and said, "These ain't yours."

Smiling lightly, he told her, "No, they're yours."

Handing them back to him, she shook her head and said, "You know, I don't sleep in 'em no more."

With a slight sigh, Simon traded out her pajamas for his sweatpants and t-shirt. As he helped her into them, Kaylee shedding her bra once he'd slipped the worn material over her head, he asked, "Better?"

"Much," she told him, smiling for the first time in hours. Holding each others' gazes for a moment, Simon leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Come on," he whispered. "Under the covers."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her, pulling back the sheets with one hand and replacing her under the warm blankets. Pulling them up to her chin, he sat beside her for a moment, noticing how her eyes were filling with more tears. Placing another kiss into her hair, he told her, "I'll be right out in the living room if you need me." He wanted to stay with her, hold her, reassure her that she was again safe, but he couldn't presume that she would be all right with that kind of intimacy right now, no matter how loving or benign it may be.

Reaching for his hand, Kaylee told him, "No, don't leave me please. I don't wanna be alone."

Frowning, Simon gently took her hand from his and rested it back atop her blankets. "Are you sure?"

Nodding, Kaylee's cheeks were again wet with tears as she said, "Please, Simon, I jus' want ya to hold me," she finished in a breathless whisper, closing her eyes tight as more tears leaked down her face.

Running a hand through her hair, Simon thought for another moment, before she reopened her eyes to him and whispered once more, "Please."

Simon smiled softly to her and nodded once. Kicking off his shoes, he circled around to the other side of the bed and slipped under the covers with her fully clothed. When she frowned at him slightly, he relented, removing his shirt, even as he kept his pants on. "Happy?" he asked lightly as he again slid in beside her.

Curling into his chest even as her body protested the movement, Kaylee felt herself relax at his touch, at the feel of his warm skin under her cheek. "Better," she murmured, feeling the pull of sleep almost instantly, the adrenaline that had been pumping in her blood having receded to leave only fatigue in its wake.

Snuggling up tighter to him, Kaylee whispered, "Don't go no where, 'kay?"

"Never again, Kaylee," he whispered back, pressing another kiss into her hair, his arm loosely around her shoulders. "Never again."

-- --


	13. Chapter 12

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 12

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 12**

-- --

Mitchell had watched them all scurrying away like rats in the night. With anger burning in his veins and revenge fueling his heart, he stayed to the shadows as the police came, disrupting the ambassador's carefully planned party and taking the man away in handcuffs.

With a fire burning in his belly, he headed for the outpost, knowing that's where he'd find that damnable Serra woman and her escort. Knowing that's where he'd have to go to end her life.

-- --

"Chief Becker," Inara greeted the older man breathlessly, as he met up with her and Mal at an abandoned house approximately three miles from Creighton's gentlemen's club. "Thank you so much for coming." Looking past his shoulder at the police cars he'd brought as well, she added, "And for bringing back up."

Smiling warmly to her, he prompted, "You said you had some evidence for me?"

She nodded once, handing over the data cards that she had taken from the ambassador's house. As the cold night air whipped around her, Inara shivered and Mal wrapped her tight to his side, pressing a kiss into her hair as they waited anxiously for the chief to make his decision.

Lowering the portable screen, he looked to Inara and Mal, an unreadable expression on his face. Scrutinizing them carefully, he finally commented, "You realize how damaging this evidence is." Inara nodded once and he continued. "It links Creighton to every disappearance for close to two years."

Inara nodded again and finally found her voice. "You didn't let him go, did you?" she asked, her tone slightly colored with fear. They had left enough damaging evidence with Jayne and Zoe to hopefully ensure that the authorities who arrived at the house would at least detain the man.

Shaking his head, Becker assured her, "No. He's being held on suspicion and this evidence will ensure he doesn't see the light of day again for a while."

Inara released a huge breath, her legs actually giving out a bit as she sank back against Mal. He held her up easily, his arms still strong around her shoulders. With watery eyes of relief, Inara asked the man, "What about my sister?"

Glancing over his shoulder and calling his second to his side, he told her, "How about we go get her."

-- --

River heard the sounds of gun shots and yelling as the police stormed the place. She still could barely see, barely move, but she could feel Captain Daddy coming for her, searching for her. She wished she knew how to help him, how to tell him where she was, but all she could was lay there, waiting for him to puzzle it out.

Shifting her eyes to look at Malena's pale face, she murmured, "I told you."

"I'll believe it when I see it," the woman told her, her voice having grown weaker in just the few hours since they'd last spoken.

A loud commotion was heard and River saw men charge into the room. "Daddy," she called, although her voice barely carried beyond her cell. She waited, knowing he would find her, knowing he had to.

"River?" Mal's voice was a low whisper. He knew that if the authorities caught sight of her, or Simon for that matter, they'd be turned back over to the Alliance faster than Jayne could say reward. Refusing to risk it, Mal fumbled for the keys he'd lifted from one of the guards he'd charged over to get here, and unlocked her cell.

As he approached her, Mal let out a sharp hiss between his teeth as he took in her damaged form. "Oh, mei mei," he murmured softly, gently pushing some hair back from her face.

"I knew you'd come and take me home," she whispered to him, more tears falling down her face and dripping off her nose.

"That's right, lil' one," he told her, a small smile on his lips. Reaching around her, he pulled her into his arms and said, "Come on, we gotta go 'fore them authorities make it down here."

"Malena," River called, even as she felt herself relaxing in Mal's arms, knowing that the sleep her body craved would take her soon.

Glancing over his shoulder to the pale creature in the cell next to River's, he saw the resemblance to Inara almost instantaneously. "Your sis is comin' for ya, darlin'," he told her softly.

She nodded, just barely and without another word Mal took off with River in his arms, rushing her back to Simon. So intent on their escape, he didn't notice as she tightened her arms around his neck and began to cry.

-- --

Simon heard the outer door open and with difficulty he left Kaylee sleeping. He didn't want too, he wanted to stay, but he needed to see if his sister was all right, if there was any news.

Leaving the room and shutting the door softly, he headed out to find Zoe and Jayne sitting heavily in the chairs in the living room, their expressions conveying complete exhaustion. "Tell me he's in jail," he said harshly, getting Zoe to pop one eye open while Jayne simply grunted and waved a hand in his direction.

"He is, doc," she assured him, noting the way the boy's shoulders slumped with relief at the news. "We even followed 'em down there, just to be sure."

Rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, Simon was about to thank them, when a pained cry pierced the night. "Simon!"

Rushing back to Kaylee's side, he burst into the room to find her sitting up in bed, her eyes wide, her body trembling violently. Moving to her side, he took her face gently in his hands and tried to quiet her. "You're okay," he whispered, wiping at a few of the tears that had again fallen from her eyes. "It was just a dream. I'm right here."

Shaking her head, Kaylee pulled her knees into her chest and murmured, "It weren't jus' a dream. He did them things to me … he was gonna …" As a sob escaped from her mouth, she let out a pained wail that chilled Simon to his very core. Shifting closer to her, he was about to offer more words of reassurance when she turned to him and murmured, "Hold me."

Pulling her gently to him, Simon shifted so he was sitting with his back to the headboard, her trembling form safely encased in his arms. As he rocked her a bit, he whispered to her, reminding her of why he loved her, reminding her of the fun times they had had together, reminding her that they would have those moments again.

"We'll get through this Kaylee," he was murmuring, his lips resting against her forehead. Her sobs had died down some and she simply rested her head against his firm chest, taking in one shaky breath after another. "And we can do anything you want. I would do anything with you, for you. I hope you know that." He closed his eyes for a moment, pressing a kiss into her hair and then said, "And we can dance. Whenever you want, okay? Anything, you name it and I'll do it."

Sniffling a bit, Kaylee lifted her head from his chest to look at him, and she began to cry again as she read the love and adoration in his eyes. "I ain't rightly sure what I did to deserve you," she began, but with a finger to her lips he told her, "You love me and that is more than enough."

Smiling through her tears, Kaylee leaned forward and brushed the lightest kiss to his mouth. "I do love you, Simon," she whispered, again settling into his arms. "I love you more than I ever thought I could love somebody."

"I love you, Kaylee," he told her, squeezing her just a bit tighter to him, but stopping as he did so, remembering all her bruises. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Just as Kaylee was about to drift off, the door to the apartment opened again and they both perked up instantly. Before Simon could move, Mal was in the doorway, panting a bit from exertion, his shirt front stained with a bit of blood. "Doc, c'mon. Your sis needs ya."

"River?" Simon asked, straightening up. "Is it bad?"

"Bad enough," Mal told him, looking to Kaylee, whose eyes had widened with more fear. "You all right, mei mei?"

Kaylee did not answer him, only nodded silently and then Mal was gone, heading back to River's side. Looking to Kaylee, Simon told her, "I have to help her. Will you be okay?"

He could tell by the fear on her features that she wouldn't, but Simon also knew Kaylee would never and could never ask him to forsake his sister, especially when she needed his medical expertise. Nodding stiffly, Simon smiled to her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll send Zoe in to sit with you, okay?"

Kaylee scooted under the covers, her eyes still wide and while Simon hated leaving her in such a state, he had to get to River. Moving out into the living room, his med kit in hand, he took in the scene quickly. His heart lodging in his throat at the sight of River's bloody and broken form, Simon moved to her side swiftly, turning to Zoe in the process and asking, "Can you go sit with Kaylee? I don't want her to be alone."

With a nod, Zoe moved off and Simon knelt beside his sister, running a cool hand over her forehead. Opening her swollen eyelids just barely, she recognized him and murmured, "Simon. Daddy came and brought me home."

Glancing up to Mal and then back to his sister, Simon whispered, "I know, mei mei. You're home now. I'm going to make you better."

She nodded and then drifted off again, her body unable to stay awake under the onslaught of her injuries. Turning to Jayne, Simon told him, "I need you to go back to the ship and get me some things. Can you do that?"

The big man nodded once, and Simon began to rattle off a list of medications. Knowing Jayne had no hope of remembering them all, Simon repeated the three he needed the most and then said a silent prayer that the ape-man would be good for at least bringing back those top three.

Once he was gone, Simon went about assessing River's injuries as best he could. Mal stood off to the side, having turned on all the lights in the room and providing Simon with assistance when the boy asked for it. As he worked, he asked quietly, "Where's Inara?"

"With her sis," he said quietly, wishing for all the world he could be with her. "They was takin' the girls to a hospital. All o' 'em needed some kind o' treatment or other."

"I don't doubt it," Simon muttered, guessing that if his sister's injuries were any indication the other girls would be far worse off. By the time Jayne returned, an hour later, with almost half of the things Simon had requested, River was stable, in a lot less pain and resting comfortably.

"She gonna be all right?" Mal asked, looking to Simon and thinking he'd never seen the boy quite this tired.

Nodding once, Simon said, "Yes. From what I can tell, she mostly has a few cracked ribs and some fairly extensive contusions. Plus a mild concussion. As long as we keep an eye on her, she should be fine."

"An' Kaylee?" Mal asked, his eyes never venturing far from River.

With a heavier sigh, Simon said, "Her wounds were also superficial, but … well, I imagine it's going to take her quite a while to recover, emotionally speaking."

Noting the man's distress, Mal clapped a hand to his shoulder and told him, "You hang in there, doc, ya here? You're doin' a right fine job."

Bringing a shocked expression to Mal's face, Simon asked in a whisper, "Did you just … did you just pay me a compliment?"

Grimacing, Mal told him gruffly, "Don't let it go to yer head." Hiding a smirk, Simon let out another breath as Mal said, "Look if'n you all got things in hand here, I'm gonna head out an' find 'Nara. Her sis wasn't looking so good when I saw her."

Nodding once, Simon looked to Jayne and then back to the captain. "We should be fine. Let Inara know that our thoughts are with her."

"I will, son, you jus' keep my other girls safe, dong ma?" Simon gave the man a tight smile that told him he would and then he left, pulling Jayne with him towards the door.

"I don't wan' nobody, but me or 'Nara comin' anywhere near any of ya. Got me?" he asked quietly, locking his eyes with the man's to be sure his directive was understood.

"Don' worry none, Mal, I ain't lettin' no body else hurt 'em," Jayne responded.

If Mal was surprised by the man's overt sign of protectiveness he didn't let on. Instead, he just clapped a hand to his shoulder, gave him a tight smile and headed out again.

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 23:42

In a shocking turn of events this evening, Ambassador Isaiah Creighton, one of Parliament's most dignified and respected inter-planetary liaisons, was led from his estate in Rogers City on Paquin by local authorities. While the Police Chief, Abel Becker, refused to comment on an open investigation, he did reveal that Ambassador Creighton is being held in suspicion of more than one crime and that evidence has been secured against him.

The ambassador, a native of Paquin, was elected to his current post over five years ago, making him one of the youngest ambassadors in Parliament. This new role came after he'd served for seven years in Parliament as a junior member, playing a key role in the development of several highly classified government-sponsored initiatives, including some joint projects with the Blue Sun Corporation.

This evening, Ambassador Creighton was hosting a ball in his home, some of the 'verse's and Paquin's most admired dignitaries in attendance. No comment yet from any of these guests, however stay tuned for further updates and information as it becomes available.

-- --

"_Malena, you come out right this instant!" Inara surveyed the landscape, the shadows growing and darkening around her as night descended on the park. Her lips pursed in a thin line, the eight-year-old did a quick circle, looking for her little sister and only got angrier when she did not appear._

_Hands on her hips, she called again, "Laney! I mean it!" Still no sign of her. Inara shivered as the night wind whipped by and suddenly she was very scared for her four-year-old mei mei. Taking a few steps to her right, Inara called with a more desperate tone, "Laney! Laney, can you hear me?"_

"_Inara!"_

_Turning at the sound of the little voice, Inara saw her sister run across the flat expanse towards her, and right into her waiting arms. Burying her face against her chest, she murmured, "I got lost."_

_Pressing a kiss into her hair, Inara told her, "I'm sorry, Laney. I should have paid better attention." Taking the girl's hand, she lifted the basket that now held their empty containers and dirty dishes from their picnic and began walking with her towards home._

_As Laney sniffled once, Inara took in her sister's profile in the approaching moonlight. Her brown hair, this morning perfectly arranged in two pigtails, had fallen loose, tickling at her cheeks, which were smudged with a bit of dirt from all the fun she'd had. Squeezing her sister's hand, she waited until those wide, brown eyes were on her face and then said, "Want to play a game on the way home?"_

_Nodding eagerly, Laney's eyes went even wider and Inara could only giggle. "Okay, how about …" Trailing off, the older sibling looked around and then smiled, saying, "I spy something tall and brown with-"_

"_A tree!" Laney called out, jumping up a bit as she guessed her sister's object so easily. "Okay, okay, my turn!" Her face full of a grin, she looked about and then smirked slightly as she said, "I spy something taller than me with brown on top and red on the bottom."_

_Furrowing her brow, Inara looked to her as they continued to walk, glancing around as well. Brown on top and red on bottom … Unsure, she said, "Give me another clue."_

_Her grin growing wider, Laney told her, "It's really pretty."_

_Frowning, Inara stopped their walking and looked about, her eyes glancing in every direction and finally down at her feet. As she took in the sight of her red silk shoes peeking out from under her skirt, she looked back to her sister with a huge smile. "Is it me?"_

_Nodding grandly, Laney said, "Yup."_

_Giggling again, Inara pressed a kiss to the tip of her sister's nose and said, "You're the cutest thing ever."_

_Taking her big sister's hand back in her own, Laney murmured, "Don't you forget it."_

She was so pale and thin. That was the first thing Inara had noticed when they'd found Malena in her cell, almost unconscious from pain and starvation. Every moment following that first glance was a blur to Inara now as her worldview had condensed in that second to her baby sister and only her baby sister. As she sat at her side now, running a gentle hand through her thinning hair, Inara sighed, realizing that even when Laney had been deathly ill before she had never looked quite this bad.

Glancing up to the doctor who was checking her vitals, Inara asked quietly, "How is she?"

Meeting her pained gaze, the older gentleman smiled politely and told her, "Not well. The cancer has progressed. It's spread through most of her limbs."

Inara bit her lip, having guessed that would be the case. Her eyes again falling to Laney's peaceful face, Inara leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I'll help you, mei mei. I'm here now."

With sad eyes, the doctor looked between the two sisters for a moment more before quietly leaving Inara alone with her grief. Once she heard the door swing shut behind him, she crawled onto the bed next to her sister, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and looking to her.

"Oh, Laney," she breathed, pressing a kiss to her pale cheek. "I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner. I should have come sooner." Dropping her forehead to her sister's shoulder, she felt her eyes burning from the threat of tears, but with practiced control she held them at bay. "I want you to wake up, mei mei. I want you to get better." Bringing her eyes back to her sister's face, Inara asked, "Can you do that for me, please? I want us to have more time."

Her voice broke from the weight of repressed emotions and Inara stopped speaking, instead running her fingers through her sister's hair. In sleep one would never have guessed the girl was dying from an incurable and painful disease; her round cheeks and full lips were settled into the peaceful mask of content. With another kiss to her cheek, Inara whispered, "I love you, mei mei."

"Well, isn't that sweet?"

The taunting and rough voice that reached her ears jolted Inara out of her grief-laden haze. Bolting up in the bed, her eyes widened as she took in Mitchell Yang's hulking form, his eyes simmering with anger. Pointing an accusatory finger at her, he said vehemently, "You."

Rising on suddenly shaky legs, Inara called on all her training as she faced the man down. "What are you doing here?"

"You destroyed the ambassador," the aide bit out, his tone full of ire and blame.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Inara took a step away from her sister's side, hoping to get the man away from her as well. Cocking her head to the side, she retorted, "I'm fairly certain he destroyed himself when he decided to kidnap and enslave young women."

"It was for fun, entertainment," Mitchell said, easily making light of one of the most gruesome scenes Inara had ever witnessed.

Her own anger rising, Inara took a step towards him and bit out, "Fun? Those girls were starving, covered with bruises and burn marks, raped and God knows what else. And you call it fun?" Irate, Inara drew herself up to her full height and told him, "You're as evil and twisted as he is."

Lunging towards her with a growl, Mitchell tried to clamp his meaty hand around her slender neck. Dodging him easily, Inara tried to get around him, but a chair got in her way, her skirts easily tripping her up. As she stumbled, his hand finally did grab a hold of her arm. Letting out a small yelp, Inara was soon face-to-face with the seething man, both of his hands pressing harshly into the flesh of her upper arms.

"You aren't going to get away with ruining a great man like the ambassador," Mitchell threatened, backing Inara roughly into a wall. "I won't let you."

Inara's eyes widened and just as she was about to call for help, he removed one hand to cover her mouth, while finally getting the other one around her neck. Beginning to squeeze, Inara felt her eyes water, spots beginning to cloud her vision, before there was a commotion of some kind and Mitchell let her go. She slid down the wall to the floor, choking and coughing, rubbing at her very bruised neck.

Looking up through misty eyes, she caught sight of Mal, leveling Mitchell with a few well-placed punches. Rushing out the door, he called for security, and as Inara heard them come running, he was back at her side, his hand to her shoulder. "'Nara, you all right?"

She nodded weakly, looking to him before allowing him to pull her tight to his chest. She was shivering, still finding it difficult to catch a breath. Mal tried to soothe her, his hand rubbing small circles along her back. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again, pulling back a bit to again meet her eyes.

Coughing a bit again, she managed to get out, "Yes, I'm fine. He just roughed me up a bit."

She watched as Mal's blue eyes hardened at the statement, his fear for her safety clouding them. Placing a hand to his cheek, she told him, "It's over, all right? He'll be put away with the ambassador."

Nodding grimly, Mal helped her to her feet, and Inara leaned against him heavily. Guiding her back to the chair she'd been sitting in before, Mal sat down first and then pulled her into his lap. Inara's eyes never left her sister, the young girl still sleeping despite the commotion. It was just as well; as soon as she woke up she'd be confronted with undeniable pain, regardless of the medications the doctors had given her.

Resting her head against Mal's shoulder, Inara whispered, "Mal, this is my sister, Malena." Swallowing thickly, she added, "I call her Laney."

Taking in the younger woman's frail form, he nodded in her direction once. "Pleasure to meet ya, Laney."

Burying her face into the crook of his neck, Inara shivered again and Mal just held her closer. "She's not going to get better, Mal," she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

Continuing to rub circles along her back, offering what little comfort her could, Mal murmured, "I know, darlin'. I know."

-- --


	14. Chapter 13

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 13

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 13**

-- --

When she awoke the room was dark and her body still ached in a bunch of places, but at least she was sleeping on something soft, not the cold dirt floor she'd grown accustomed to over the past few days. She felt fear and worry radiating off the rest of her family and her eyes welled with instant tears, remembering why she was in so much pain and how they had all gotten here.

"Simon?" she croaked, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her throat was so very dry, even though her brother had managed to get an IV in her, pumping fluids back into her system. It wasn't easy, in their current set-up, but he was a good doctor and so he'd done it.

"He's sleepin', girl. You wan' me to get 'im?" Jayne's voice had been the last one she expected to hear, but River didn't mind. Reaching out a hand to him, she felt his big one take it and hold onto it, and felt him shift to a kneeling position beside her. "I can go get 'im," he repeated, his breath warm on her cheek from where he sat at her side.

"No, s'okay," she murmured, already feeling the pull of sleep. "Kaylee needs him," she explained.

Jayne watched River's face contort with pain and sadness and he hated it. He didn't often give a damn about the crazy girl's moods, but based on what Mal had briefly told him about where she'd been, he would just as soon facedown an army of Reavers than subject her or any woman to that. It wasn't right.

He thought he caught the briefest smile on her face as she murmured, "Thank you," before again falling unconsciousness. With a slight sigh, Jayne just shook his head, realizing that the girl's incarceration had done nothing to stymie her craziness and then he settled at her side, leaning against the couch and, oddly enough, keeping her small hand in his.

-- --

"Oh, River." Kaylee's voice was a breathless whisper as the young girl went to her friend's side. Jayne moved from his spot next to her, where he'd been all night as Kaylee and Simon approached. The morning light was streaming in through the big windows and everyone looked a bit better, now that they'd had a few hours of rest.

Running a hand through River's hair, Kaylee asked her softly, "You okay, sweetie?"

The girl nodded once, grimacing a bit as Simon touched a particularly sensitive spot on her abdomen. "Are you?" she asked, reaching a hand to Kaylee's bruised face. She could feel the girl's fear and pain, still bubbling under the surface, but with usual Kaylee cheeriness, it had been forced to the back of her conscious thought in the light of day.

"You bet, honey," Kaylee assured, her voice sounding much more confident than she felt. Brushing a light kiss against her forehead, she looked to Simon who was cleaning one of the dressings on a particularly wicked burn on River's side. "How 'bout some breakfast? I bet we all could use somethin'."

"Hell, yeah," Jayne agreed, his ears perking up at the sound of food. Zoe, having just emerged from Inara's room where she'd spent the night, moved to intercept Kaylee on her way to the kitchen. "I'll help ya there, Kaylee-bird."

As the two women left, Jayne looked back to the doc and his sis and decided he'd much rather be in the kitchen. Once he was gone, Simon let out a small sigh of relief and sat beside his sister. "You scared me, mei mei," he told her softly, using a pen light to test the responsiveness of her still swollen eyes.

"I thought it was my job?" she teased, laughing a bit and forcing herself into a coughing fit for the trouble.

As Simon pushed another smoother into her blood, hoping it would help her sleep for most of the day, she laid a light hand to his arm. "Simon?"

"What River?" he asked gently, taking her hand in both of his and leaning closer to her.

"Stay close," she murmured, watching as his expression faltered. Knowing he had misunderstood, she fought to explain before her body betrayed her. "To Kaylee. She needs you still, don't let her push you away."

River's voice ended in a whisper and Simon brought her hand to his lips, kissing it gently. Fixing the blanket they had placed over her, he let out a breath as he thought on her words; he'd guessed that despite Kaylee's bright smile and cheery attitude when she'd awoken this morning the previous night's events were still bothering her.

Simon wished he knew how to talk with her about it, how to help her; he wished he had the right words to let her know it was okay to still be scared, to admit that she was in pain, both physical and emotional. But he was a trauma surgeon and while most of his adult life had been about easing others' suffering, it had never been about easing the fear of a woman he loved.

"Hungry?"

He turned at the sound of Kaylee's voice, trying to wipe the look of concern from his features. Simon did know that hounding Kaylee about it, that pressuring her to talk with him, would do nothing but harm. So, as he took in her smiling face, a cup of coffee extended towards him, he rose, returning her grin with one of his own.

As he approached and their hands touched as he took the mug, Kaylee smiled a bit wider and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Wondering if maybe River hadn't been a little off the mark, he looked to her and asked, "So, anything good to eat?"

"Lots," she told him, turning to head back into the kitchen. As Simon followed, sipping the dark liquid, he missed the slight flash of fright that passed through Kaylee's eyes before she again put her mask of happiness in place.

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 08:12

More bad news early this morning for Ambassador Creighton's office. We have just received word that his most trusted aide, Mitchell Yang, has also been taken into custody and is being held on assault charges. Still reluctant to share details of his investigation, Chief Becker did issue this statement this morning:

Ambassador Creighton and Mister Yang are being held in conjunction with evidence surrounding a string of violent crimes from the past two years. Thanks to the diligence and commitment of a group of concerned citizens, the ambassador and Mister Yang will stand trial.

Details surrounding this group of citizens and their level of involvement in bringing the Ambassador's criminal activities to light has remained undefined. However, inside sources from the ambassador's estate tell us that this man and woman (see image) were seen speaking with Mister Yang earlier in the evening and had come to visit with the ambassador the day previous. Also, the two of them, identified as Miss Inara Serra and Captain Malcolm Reynolds, disappeared just moments before the authorities arrived to place Ambassador Creighton in custody. Stay tuned to this outlet for additional updates.

-- --

"She first got sick when I was eight." Inara's wide eyes stared off into space, her fingers running a light pattern over Mal's wrist as she talked. It had been hours and Malena still had not awakened. They had both slept on and off for a few minutes at a time, but nothing solid and as Mal watched his ai ren now, he could see fatigue fighting with sadness to take prominence on her face.

"The doctors said back then she wouldn't survive it." Inara continued to tell her story, Laney's story, her voice distant and a bit hollow. The sound pained Mal as it did not belong to Inara, but he listened in silence knowing she needed to say what she felt, no matter how sad or devastating it was. "My parents were convinced she would die, so they brought her home from the hospital. Malena kept saying she wanted to be in her own bed." Blinking back tears, Inara rose abruptly and strode across to the room's only window, gazing out at the tail end of Paquin's sunrise.

"I was glad when they brought her home; my parents wouldn't let me see her in the hospital." Inara closed her eyes against the memory, the pain and determination in her voice and her heart still fresh after so many years.

"_She's my sister," she screamed, her fists balled at her sides, her foot stomping on the floor. "She needs me!"_

"_She needs rest, Inara," her mother countered, kneeling before her. "She needs peace and quiet."_

_Screwing up her face against her tears, Inara screamed back, "No! She needs me!"_

Shaking the thought away, Inara wiped at a stray tear that had fallen as she said, "When the cancer went into remission the doctors didn't know what to say. No one could believe it." Turning back to her sister, Inara went to her side and sat on the edge of the bed, a hand to her cheek. "But we knew, didn't we mei mei?" she whispered, her eyes locked on Laney's face. "We knew, because we can do anything."

Leaning down she placed a kiss to her sister's cheek and swallowed back another swell of tears. Mal watched, riveted, the entire time, having only seen this sort of devotion between siblings before with Simon and River. He suddenly wished he weren't an only child. Sitting up, he reached a hand across Laney and touched Inara's arm gently getting her attention. "So, she jus' got sick twice?"

Shaking her head gently, Inara smiled weakly and said, "No. She got sick four times when we were children. The last time I was at the training house already." Her mind again replayed the memory, deepening her smile slightly as she remembered the look on her mother's face when she'd taken leave. "Oh, my mother was furious when I took a few months off from my training." Returning her eyes to Mal's face, she told him, "They never understood, my parents. They never understood why we were so close."

"Why were ya?" Mal asked, not rightly sure he understood himself. River and Simon he got – the girl was a gorram reader – but Inara and Laney … he didn't see a reason.

With the smallest shrug, Inara looked back to Laney and said simply, "Because she's my sister."

Silence filled the air in the room and Mal could only stare in wonder at Inara. She had been confronted with some of the worst news he could possibly imagine and yet, here she was, keeping it together, looking to her sister and being strong like always. He wondered if there would ever come a day when she wouldn't amaze him; he tended to think not.

Inara's eyes remained locked onto Laney's face, her mind still lost in memory.

"_Laney, I can't believe you'd take that without asking," Inara huffed, dragging her ten-year-old sister up the stairs and into the bathroom. Slamming the door, she ordered, "Take it off."_

_Malena did, shedding the grape juice-covered shirt and standing in her undershirt as Inara began to scrub. "I didn't know I'd spill on it," she whined quietly, only serving to get a glare from Inara before her older sister again set to work._

"_That's not the point," Inara ground out, despairing as her efforts only caused the stain to spread. Dropping the wet garment into the sink with a sound of disgust, she turned back to her sister and said, "You didn't ask, mei mei. That's the point. You can't just take people's things like that."_

_Dropping her eyes to the tile floor, Laney shuffled her feet nervously and murmured, "I'm sorry." Counting to five, when she lifted her eyes again, they were shining with just a bit of hope. "I can get you a new one, with my allowance."_

_Shaking her head, Inara told her, "No, don't be silly. I know you're saving that money for something special."_

_Shrugging, the little girl said, "Well, yeah, but I don't want you to hate me."_

_With a sigh and a small chuckle, Inara pulled her into a hug and murmured, "Oh, mei mei, I don't hate you. I love you, don't you know that?"_

"I do love you, mei mei," Inara whispered, leaning forward to place a kiss to Laney's still cold cheek. As she continued to watch her, Inara caught the smallest flutter of her eyelids and she inhaled sharply, praying to Buddha that her sister was really going to open those brown eyes to her.

"Laney?" she whispered, her voice so quiet Mal wasn't sure he'd heard. Sitting up, he looked to the sick woman as well, and saw what had Inara so excited. "Laney, can you hear me?"

"Inara?" The voice was rough and hoarse, but it was hers and Inara would have recognized it anywhere.

Cradling her face in her hands, Inara placed a multitude of kisses to Laney's cheeks and murmured, "Yes, Laney, it's me. I'm here. You're okay now." Turning to Mal with tear-filled eyes, she whispered breathlessly, "Mal."

Circling the bed, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'm gonna get the doc." As she looked to him with big eyes, he assured her, "I ain't goin' far, I promise."

She nodded once and then he was gone. As Inara looked back to her sister, she saw the faintest smile on her lips as the younger woman asked, "So, that's your pirate?"

Actually laughing out loud, Inara answered her, "Yes, mei mei. That's my pirate."

"He's handsome, Inara," Laney told her, her voice gaining a bit more strength. Casting her eyes about the small room, she asked, "Where are we?"

"At the hospital in Rogers City," she told her.

Absorbing this news, another thought struck Laney and she looked to Inara with wide eyes. "River?"

Smiling at her, Inara said, "She's fine. She's getting the medical attention she needs, just like you."

With a sad smile, Laney reached up and pulled Inara's hand from her cheek. As her sister's big brown eyes came to rest on her face, a bit of confusion coloring them, Laney told her, "Inara, there's nothing they can do for me now."

Shaking her head firmly, Inara bit back her tears and pulled her hand away. "That's not true," she told her, willing her voice not to break. Softening her gaze, she reminded her, "Us Serra girls can do anything."

Giving her a sad shake of the head, Laney reached again for Inara's hand and told her, "Not this, Inara. I'm dying."

Pulling away from her roughly, Inara stalked across the room. "Don't say that," she bit out, knowing it was the truth, but refusing to believe it. Whirling back to face her, she said, "You can fight this, Laney."

With a heavy sigh, Laney admitted, "I don't want to."

Eyes widening in horror, Inara's next question died on her lips as Mal returned with the doctor and a nurse. As the staff attended to her sister, Inara could only stand and stare. Feeling Mal's arm around her shoulders, she remained stiff at his side, her heart breaking as she saw the resignation that had settled onto her sister's features.

-- --

Hours later, Laney was again asleep and Inara was sitting, her back rigid beside Mal. As soon as he had returned Mal had noted the change in her demeanor, growing more concerned when Inara and Malena did not speak again even after the doctor left the room.

Staring at her sister now, Inara finally said tonelessly, "I want to take her home."

Confused, Mal reached out and closed his hand over Inara's, surprised by how cold she was. "Ai ya, darlin', you're freezin'," he muttered, trying to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Shrugging him off, Inara repeated, "I want to take her home. She should be at home."

Confounded, Mal told her, "I don't know if the docs are gonna let her go, darlin'. She's still not-"

"She's dying, Mal," Inara said flatly, her eyes never wavering from a spot on the wall. "It doesn't matter now. All they're going to do is manage her pain." Finally turning to him, the lifelessness he saw in her eyes made his breath hitch in his throat. "I can do that for her." Looking back to Laney, she whispered, "I have to do something for her."

With a sigh, Mal sat back in his chair and stared at the dying girl before him. It didn't seem right on any level that the young woman, so full of life and once beautiful, should have lived the last few months trapped in some sick strip club and was now dying of an incurable and painful disease. He let his head fall back against his chair, wondering why he was always surprised when the 'verse proved over and over again it wasn't fair. Hell, Wash and Book's deaths had proved that and yet here he was, still stunned speechless.

"That lil' apartment o' yours is gettin' pretty crowded," he finally said, knowing it was an absolutely idiotic remark.

"I want to take her to _her_ home," Inara said and then without another word, she rose, heading for the door.

"Inara?" Mal questioned, watching as she froze with her hand on the knob.

"She's not going to get better, Mal," she said softly and then exited, leaving Mal to watch over her baby sister.

-- --


	15. Chapter 14

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 14

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 14**

Rating: NC-17 (the good klnd)

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 12:45

Ambassador Isaiah Creighton, of Paquin, was released from Rogers City jail today after posting his five thousand credit bail. The ambassador, currently being investigated on twelve counts of kidnapping, aggravated assault and exploitation, will be remaining under house arrest at his estate in Rogers City until his trial is set to begin, three weeks from today.

Upon leaving the jail, with his aide, Mister Yang, also released from police custody, the ambassador made this statement:

I am appalled that such baseless and malicious lies could be fabricated at my expense and I would like to take this moment to beg for the forgiveness of my constituents who so willingly put their trust in me. I can assure you, that trust was not misplaced, and I will push for a quick end to these proceedings so I may resume the duties to which you have appointed me.

Isaiah Creighton, elected as one of the youngest inter-planetary ambassadors in 'verse history, has been a fixture on Paquin his entire life. Born in Tharptown to two vaudeville performers, Isaiah Creighton was orphaned at the age of eight and spent years in Paquin's foster care system. At the age of eighteen he was admitted into one of the best academies in the Core, accelerating his studies and graduating at the top of his class in just three short years.

Shortly thereafter he was elected to Parliament, where he served on various committees, overseeing a multitude of projects. It was even rumored, when the Miranda broadwave was released, that Ambassador Creighton had been privy to the government's plan for that planet and its citizens. This claim has remained unsupported.

-- --

2 Weeks Later

-- --

"Look who I found?" Inara asked playfully, pulling Mei-li from the bag Mal had recently fetched from her apartment.

Laney with barely any energy left, tried to force her mouth into a smile as Inara nestled the soft and comforting toy in her embrace. "Sorry he was missing for so long," Inara told her, sitting beside her again.

Picking up her brush from the nightstand, Inara began to comb it through Laney's hair. This had become a daily ritual over the past few weeks; Inara would sit with her sister from sun up to sun down, eating very rarely, administering her medications and the two of them would talk, reminisce, gossip about boys – mainly Mal. Or has had often been the case in the past few days, Inara would simply sit and watch as Laney slept, the younger girl having a harder and harder time staying awake as her body finally succumbed to the cancer that was rotting her bones.

Trying not to focus on Laney's ashen cheeks or her hollow eyes, Inara was about to tell her another story about Mal, when a light hand rested against her knee. Looking to her, Inara asked hurriedly, "What is it, mei mei? Do you need something?"

Working her tongue in her mouth a bit to try and muster the energy and the thought to speak, Laney finally managed to murmur, "I never thanked you for coming."

Smiling to her, Inara shook her head and said softly, "That's nonsense. Of course I came. You're my mei mei," she told her, running a hand over her forehead.

"I know your friends …" Laney had to pause to take a breath, each word expending the precious little energy she had left. "I know they were hurt, because of me. I'm sorry, tell them that."

Shaking her head even more determinedly than before, Inara tried to shush her. "You don't have to be sorry, Laney. It's all right."

Clearing her throat, Laney's voice sounded a bit stronger as she squeezed Inara's hand and told her, "I love you, Inara."

"Stop, Laney," Inara breathed, her chin falling to her chest so her sister would not see her tears; so her baby sister wouldn't see the fear in her eyes at the thought of losing her. "Stop, please. Don't do this."

Smiling sadly to her, Laney squeezed her hand once more and told her, "I have to, Inara. I want you to always remember that I loved you and looked up to you. Always. Every minute, okay?"

Nodding once, Inara felt one tear and then another fall down her face and while they shamed her, she knew there was nothing she could do to stop them. Finally, she worked up the courage to look back to her sister and choked back a sob. Leaning forward, she pressed a long, lingering kiss to her forehead as she murmured, "I love you, mei mei. I'm sorry I wasn't a better big sister."

"You were the best," Laney told her, her eyes drooping. She knew it would be soon and while she was just a bit scared, she was also relieved. She wanted to rest, she needed the peace. "Don't let Mal go either, okay? And don't chase him off? You be nice to him."

Inara chuckled once, a harsh bark before sobs again bubbled to the surface and overwhelmed her. "I love you," she whispered again, feeling her sister's hand go limp in hers. With a cry, she rested her head to Laney's chest and heard nothing; no heartbeat, which caused her to sob louder.

Mal came at the cry, rushing in from his outpost in the living room. Inara had wanted to care for Laney in her final days by herself, but Mal had quickly nixed that idea; even if Inara didn't look at him once, he'd know he was there, close by if she needed him. As she did now.

His own eyes burning with tears at the sight of her grief, Mal went to her and tried to pull her into his arms. With a force he hadn't been expecting, she held tight to her sister's lifeless body and wailed, "I can't leave her alone."

Moving back to her, Mal placed a gentle hand to her shoulder and told her thickly, "She ain't alone, darlin'. She's at peace now."

Inara sobbed against Laney for a few more moments and then finally, when he could stand it no longer, he again tried to pull her to him and she came willingly. Lifting her into his arms, Mal took her out to the living room and sat with her in his lap, rocking her as she mourned for the baby sister she had always thought she could protect.

-- --

Malena's funeral was a small and fairly private affair. The entire crew attended of course, Mal standing at Inara's side. Her eyes had barely dried for more than a few minutes since Laney had passed two days ago, and so Mal had stayed with her, comforting her when she'd let him, taking care of her when she wouldn't take care of herself. Inara knew she should thank him, knew she should tell him she loved him and express her gratitude, but she didn't know how, she was numb.

Kaylee stood at Simon's side, her hand in his, her body pressed tight to his side for warmth as the late fall wind whipped around the small grave site. It was the first time Kaylee had been out since the attack and while most of her cuts and bruises were almost gone, she was still jumpy, still uncertain of herself and so Simon simply kept her close, wishing he knew what else to do.

River was up and about, currently being supported by Jayne. Simon's attentions had been split over the last weeks, as Kaylee had needed him more than his sister. And so, much to everyone's surprise, but most all to his, Jayne had found himself doting on River, making sure she was all right, helping her about when the pain in her legs or back was too great. She leaned on him now, needing his strong presence, needing to be reminded of all the love her family had to give and so he held himself straight and proud to be that strength for her.

As the preacher finished his few words, each of the crewmen stepped forward and dropped single white roses over Malena's cherry coffin. Backing away from the wooden box, Inara was left to stand at its side for just a minute. It was going to be winter soon and the crispness in the air chilled her almost as much as the sight of her sister's coffin. With tears in her eyes, she leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to the cold wood, and then slowly and with difficulty backed away into Mal's warm embrace.

They stood watching as it was lowered into the ground, Kaylee's head buried against Simon's chest, his cheek resting on her hair, Inara's eyes locked on the coffin, Mal's arms tight around her. Zoe stood off from the group a bit, having been to far too many funerals in the past year for her comfort. She watched the others, noting their pain and caught River stiffen a second before the girl murmured, "Not welcome. Comes to respect that which he destroyed."

Looking to her with a furrowed brow, Jayne muttered, "Shenme?" before they all turned at the sound of a familiar voice.

"May I pay my respects to the dead?"

With a collective gasp, they looked in horror as Ambassador Creighton stepped forward and dropped a black rose onto Malena's lowering coffin. Blowing her a kiss, when he turned to regard them all, he actually smiled. "She was one of my finest dancers," he explained, allowing his eyes to linger on Kaylee for a moment. The young woman shivered violently in Simon's embrace and he turned her away from the man's stare, resisting the urge to strangle him.

Bringing his eyes around to Inara and Mal, Creighton took a step forward and then halted as the sound of three side arms cocking assaulted his ears. Noting the gun Mal had trained on him, he looked to see the big man holding one, as well as the tall dark-skinned woman. Raising his hands in a gesture of defeat, he said, "Yes, yes, you all have shiny toys. But mine are better."

The snaps of five more hammers being pulled back circled the group and Mal, Zoe and Jayne looked about with wide-eyed expressions as they caught sight of Creighton's bodyguards all training very high-tech weapons on their crew. Lowering his gun, Mal said sharply, "All right, you paid your respects. Now git."

Clasping his hands behind his back, the slime actually leaned against Malena's still fresh tombstone and looked to Mal. "I wonder if we might have a chat first." When no one spoke, he continued, his tone full of sarcasm. "It seems you all have decided to make my life a living hell. And while I don't understand why," he said with mock surprise, again allowing his eyes to rest on River and Kaylee before glancing down into the freshly dug grave. "I have to wonder how we might be able to avoid any future unpleasantness."

Inara glared at the man as his mocking gaze met hers and taking a step forward, she shrugged off Mal's grip and spat, "Xiong meng de kuang ren! Ni yao wo kai qiang? Get out of here!"

"I'd watch your tone, Miss Serra," Creighton warned, his eyes hardening as he towered over her. When she did not back down, he cocked his head to one side and said, "Pity we were never able to get acquainted. You would have been much more fun than your mei mei, I'm sure." As he reached out a finger to trail down her face, Mal finally snapped.

Moving forward, he pulled Inara behind him and got right into Creighton's face. "Gai si. Dong ma?"

With another placating smile, he nodded politely to Mal and then began to back away, his guards forming up around him as he left. "I'll see you in court," he told them mockingly. And then he turned and strode off, leaving the seven crewmen shaken.

As Inara literally fell against Mal, her legs giving out on her, Kaylee's face grew more pale, her eyes more hollow. Pulling back from Simon a bit, she would not raise her eyes to his face as she murmured, "I wanna go."

"I know, bao bei," he whispered, keeping his arms wrapped around her. "We're going."

Looking to Jayne and Zoe, Simon nodded in the direction of the cemetery's exit, being sure that Creighton and his men had indeed disappeared. As they moved to leave, River went to Mal and Inara and told them, "The time will come," before hurrying to join the others.

Standing in silence as the rest of the crew left, it took Mal and Inara both untold minutes to regain their voices. Looking down into her eyes still consumed with sadness, Mal tilted her chin to his face and asked softly, "You all right?"

She nodded hesitantly once and then, meeting his soft gaze, shook her head, her brown eyes welling with more tears. "What have I done?" she asked quietly, burying her head against him. "What if I've only made it worse?"

Mal didn't know how to answer her, because he wasn't rightly sure it wasn't worse. Rubbing his hands along her back, he was about to offer some fairly lame words of encouragement, when Inara backed out of his embrace with a furious light in her eyes. "How could I have been so stupid?" she fumed, pacing away from him. Even as she shivered in the cold air, she kept up her frantic movement, speaking more to herself than to anyone. Mal just stood and watched, hoping that the answers she needed would come to him quickly.

"If I had just answered her letter … I should have …" Her voice faltering as every "what if" statement paled to the last, Inara's shoulders finally slumped and when she again turned to face Mal it was despair he saw in her eyes, not anger. "I dragged all of you into this and now Kaylee and River …" Burying her face in her hands, Inara murmured, "I only made it worse."

Mal finally moved to her side and held her firmly against his chest. She fought him at first, but quickly sank into his warmth, having lost the energy to be strong. "You din't drag nobody, you hear me?" he told her, his lips resting against her hair. "You din't. We're all grown folk and we knew what we was gettin' into." Leaning back from her a bit, Mal reminded her, "An' your sis, she deserved to die with you by her so she'd know she wasn't alone."

An unbidden sob came to Inara's lips and while she tried to choke it down, she couldn't. Burying her face into his chest, she cried, hard, wracking sobs and Mal held her firmly, moving slowly with her out of the graveyard and back to the comfort and safety of home.

-- --

Simon's concern for Kaylee grew in leaps and bounds as the hovercar lumbered back towards the apartment. She had not spoken since she'd asked to leave, and while she still clutched his hand tightly, she would not look at him or sit any closer than was necessary in the confined space.

No one else spoke either, everyone still consumed with grief and pain at all they had witnessed. As they finally made it into the apartment, Jayne and Zoe went off towards the kitchen to fix food that no one would eat, while River sank into the plush couch, her body strained from all the activity. Simon simply followed Kaylee back towards River's room where she had headed as soon as the door had opened.

Regarding her from the doorway for a moment, he watched as she pawed through their bags with shaking hands, muttering something to herself. His heart breaking as he had no idea what to do, Simon finally did the only thing he wanted to do. Moving towards her, he waited until she turned to face him and then stopped her by placing his hands lightly on her shoulders.

Holding her wide-eyed gaze in his own, he finally murmured, "Kaylee. It's okay."

Smiling bright, Simon actually cringed at the sight. He had come to recognize this big grin in the past few weeks for what it was – fake. "Oh, I know. I'm just still kinda chilly, thought I'd take a shower," she told him, the cheery tone to her voice making his insides twist.

Reaching for a change of clothes and a towel, she moved towards the bathroom, pressing a light kiss to his lips first. Simon watched her go and she ignored the pained look in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked forlornly, not at all surprised when she simply waved without turning and answered, "Yup. Righ' an' shiny."

As she closed the door, Simon stared at it for a moment and heard the sound of her light hum as she turned on the water. He thought about staying in the room and waiting until she was done, forcing her to talk to him, but he didn't want to upset her further. With a heavy sigh, he left, hoping he could distract himself by checking on River.

-- --

Kaylee let the water run for minutes, her big eyes staring at the stream of water as it poured into the tub. As the steam rose around her and she carefully stepped out of her clothes, she stood naked in the middle of the bathroom before the room's floor to ceiling mirror. The marks he'd left on her were fading, but Kaylee could still see them, red and angry on her skin. And if she closed her eyes, she could still feel them; feel the crack of his belt as he'd hit her repeatedly; feel the strength of his hands as he'd grabbed for her wrists and twisted; feel the weight of him pressing on her; feel his hand snaking up and under dress; feel his mouth bite at hers, his tongue thrusting against hers …

Pressing her hand to her mouth to suppress a sob, Kaylee closed her eyes and tried to shake the memory away. But she couldn't do it. She had tried so hard in the past two weeks to forget that horrible night had ever happened. She tried not to dwell on what could have happened and concentrate on what did – Simon had saved her. But every night when she closed her eyes, even when Simon was holding her close, she could only picture the feral gleam in Creighton's eyes and the entitlement in his touch; his firm belief that she was nothing more than a body for him to use.

Seeing him at the graveyard and hearing his sick voice had only brought all those emotions and fears roiling to the surface and Kaylee shook again with the memory of seeing him so close. He could have gotten to her again; he could have tried to … No.

Crying big, hot tears, Kaylee buried her face in her hands, looking into the shower, the steam from the scalding water causing a sheen of sweat to ghost over her skin. Stepping into the tub, she let the hot water beat on her even as the weight of those awful memories and sensations shrouded her shoulders and collapsed her legs. Shaking uncontrollably, Kaylee pulled her knees into her chest and sat under the water's pounding stream, her eyes wide and unseeing, her chin resting on her bent knees. Rocking slightly, she was quickly drowning in her fear.

-- --

Sitting beside his sister with a sigh, Simon turned to look at her and asked, "How are you feeling, mei mei?"

Not bothering to open her eyes to him, she murmured, "Tired." Releasing a sigh, she waited, knowing he would ask. And he did.

"Did seeing Creighton today – did it bother you?" His voice was small, but his question was insistent and River knew he wasn't asking because he wanted her reaction.

Rolling her head to the side, she blinked open her eyes to him and concentrated on Kaylee's presence. She was suffering to be sure, the sight of Creighton so close having shaken the woman more than she would ever want to admit. "Where's Kaylee?" she asked, instead of answering his question, not at all surprised when his eyes clouded with concern.

"Taking a shower," Simon answered quietly, his eyes studying his hands in his lap. "She said she was still a bit cold from the burial."

River nodded once and then leaned towards him. "She's going to need you now, more than she ever thought. You have to be strong," she reminded him, smiling widely to him when he again brought those wide blue eyes to her face. Resting a light hand to his cheek, she told him, "And you will be."

Holding her gaze intently, Simon told her, "Mei mei, I don't … I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you," he finished in a whisper, the sight of Inara grieving over the loss of her sister hitting just a bit too close to home for Simon.

"You would live and go on and make me proud," she told him, her eyes lighting on his face for a moment more, before they flitted to Jayne who had just entered the room with a plate full of food for her. Pressing a kiss to her brother's cheek, she ordered him gently, "Now, go."

Smiling to her, Simon kissed her back and then headed back the way he'd come. As Jayne sat before her on the coffee table and handed her the food, he was shocked to see tears rising in her eyes. Resting a hand to her knee, he asked quietly, "Baby girl, you all right?"

"Our family's broken, Jayne," she admitted, feeling the pain all around her and wishing it would stop. "I don't know how to fix it." With this admission, she buried her face in her hands, crying silent tears.

Jayne didn't like to see the girl in so much distress. Sure, she was more than a little crazy, but she and all of them had been through their fair share. And lately, Jayne had been feeling a bit sorrier for the doc as he tried to not only care for his damaged sister, but for lil' Kaylee too, who was obviously in a lot of pain.

As he watched River continue to cry, her body shaking a bit from the weight of her tears, Jayne made a decision. Putting down the plate of food, he sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, more than glad when she let him comfort her, curling into his side and staying there for quite some time.

-- --

Simon quietly reentered what had once been River's room, but was now his and Kaylee's. Pausing for a moment, he heard the steady sound of running water and let out a small sigh. Heading for the bathroom door, he raised his hand to knock and then stopped. Kaylee hadn't been in the shower for more than ten minutes; it hardly seemed right for him to interrupt her now.

Dropping his hand back to his side, he wearily walked towards the bed and flopped down onto it, his head hitting the pillow, his eyes closing and his body drifting off into a contented sleep almost instantly.

Later when he awoke, the room was full of darkness, the sun having already set. Glancing to the bed beside him as he blinked his eyes awake, he frowned seeing it still empty. Kaylee should have been out by now. Rising, he listened and grew even more puzzled as he still heard the sound of running water. His confusion quickly ceding control to his concern, Simon approached the closed bathroom door and knocked lightly. "Kaylee?" he called gently, listening intently for some kind of response.

When he didn't get one, Simon knocked again and asked, a bit more urgently this time, "Kaylee? Are you all right?" There was still no answer and Simon found his insides churning.

Taking a deep breath as he was suddenly very afraid of what he'd find when he opened the door, Simon entered the small room, his skin immediately covering with a thin layer of sweat as the steam enveloped him. Heading for the shower, he called again, "Kaylee? I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I just want to be sure-"

He stopped in mid-sentence as he finally spotted her, sitting naked under the stream of the shower, her knees pulled into her chest, her eyes staring ahead, unseeing. Her skin had reddened from the heat of the water and begun to wrinkle as it had been exposed to it for too long. Kneeling down at the edge of the tub, Simon murmured, "Oh, Kaylee."

At the sound of his breathless whisper, she finally turned her wide eyes to him and he felt his heart lodge itself in his throat. The pain in her gaze made him ache. Reaching out a hand, he shut off the water and then gently ran a hand through her wet hair.

"I was so cold," she whispered hoarsely, her eyes still big and focused on him.

Nodding once, he told her quietly, "I know, bao bei. But it's okay now." As she held his gaze for a moment longer, Simon finally asked, "Are you ready to get out?"

She nodded hesitantly and Simon turned to grab a towel, before turning back to offer her a hand. She took it and slowly he pulled her to her feet, gently guiding her to the edge of the tub. She kept her eyes locked on his as he draped the towel around her. When she made no move to dry herself, Simon did it for her, his touch barely noticeable against her skin. He was treating her with such tenderness, Kaylee found it hard to breathe for a moment and the hitch in her throat brought his concerned eyes back to her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, reaching up to cradle her face in his hands.

She nodded silently and Simon smiled to her before turning to grab his pajamas, the ones she had been sleeping in for the better part of two weeks now, and returned to her side. Helping her out of the tub, Simon dressed her easily and Kaylee let him, her arms and legs having lost the will to move on their own. As he moved around behind her to towel dry her hair, he whispered, "It's all right to be bothered, Kaylee. None of us wanted to see him there."

Kaylee made no move to indicate she'd heard and so Simon dropped the subject. Moving back around to stand before her, he threw the towel on the floor and asked, "Hungry?"

Her arms wrapped around herself, Kaylee shook her head and said, "No, just tired." And with that, she walked slowly from the room, Simon's arm around her shoulders. As she sat on the edge of the bed, she looked to him with the oddest expression. Simon sat beside her, and gently raised his hand to her cheek, running his fingers over her still healing bruise.

Kaylee leaned into the touch and sighed a bit and just the fleeting look of content that crossed her face lightened his heart. Leaning towards her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek and said, "Let's get some sleep."

Shaking her head slightly, Kaylee looked to him again, her eyes still wide and then scooted towards the middle of the bed, her legs crossed in front of her. Simon stared for a moment and then asked, "Kaylee? What is it?"

"Simon," she said, her voice halting and low. Her eyes pooling with tears, she looked to him and said softly, "Kiss me."

Smiling to her, Simon matched her posture, sitting close enough that their knees touched. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against hers and then pulled away. "Come on, time for bed," he told her, moving to pull back the covers.

But Kaylee did not move and so Simon again turned to regard her. Taking his hand in hers, she steadily held his gaze and dropped her voice to a whisper, "Simon, _kiss_ me," she repeated, emphasizing the words for good measure.

With a sad smile on his face, Simon leaned back towards her and cradled her face in his hands. He gazed at her silently for many moments, noting the still healing cut on her lip, the bruises on her cheeks, the gash on her forehead. She held his gaze unflinchingly and as Simon ran his thumbs lightly over her upper lip, he murmured, "Are you sure?"

In answer, Kaylee leaned towards him, bringing her mouth within inches of his. "Simon," she whispered again, and then the rest of the statement was swallowed as their lips met.

It was a tender kiss, lips meeting and clinging to each other, heads bent at just the right angle. Simon kept his hands to her face, allowing his fingers to drift back to her ear and spread down her neck. Wary of the cut he could feel on her lower lip, Simon did nothing to deepen the contact although he wanted too. Her mouth was warm and inviting and even as she parted her lips just slightly, telling him silently that he could kiss her more passionately, Simon resisted, not wanting to hurt her, not wanting to push.

But apparently, Kaylee did want. Acting on instinct, she ran her hands up his chest and wound her arms around his neck, teasing his mouth with her tongue before pushing through. As their tongues found one another, Simon felt the need to pull her tighter to him, to feel her, but with his last modicum of self-restraint, he dropped his hands into his lap, worried that his touch would only cause her to shudder.

Kaylee fisted her hands into his hair, her bottom rising up off the bed as she tried to get closer to him. Forced to part for air, Kaylee rested her forehead against Simon's and her eyes opened to find his hands in his lap. "Simon," she whispered again, bringing her eyes to meet his. "Why're y'all hands off?" she asked, concern plaguing her features.

Simon struggled to explain. "I don't want to … I just don't …" With a heavy sigh, he dropped his eyes, his mind still working furiously to come up with a suitable excuse.

Kaylee found one first. Pulling back from him, she bit her lip trying to keep sudden tears in as she asked, "Ya don't wan' me anymore?"

His head snapping up as his eyes locked on her face, Simon leaned forward to take her hands in his. "No, Kaylee," he assured her, his thumb rubbing along her wrist. "No, that's not it. Not even close."

"Then what?" she asked, holding his intense, blue-eyed gaze.

Swallowing thickly, he said, "I don't know if … well, I'm not sure you're as ready as you think you are," he told her quietly, his eyes searching her face for understanding.

Nodding once, Kaylee swallowed hard past the sudden lump in her throat, and blinked back a few tears. He really was only thinking of her and he was hoping she would understand that. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through his hair, smiling slightly as his eyes closed at her touch and a small sigh escaped his lips. "I ain't sayin'," she began softly, waiting until his eyes had reopened before continuing. "I ain't sayin' that I'm ready for you to be sexin' me again, but-" She paused, taking a few deep breaths.

Looking back into his eyes, Kaylee saw so many emotions there, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to puzzle them all out. But the most important one, love, was as plain as day, and it gave her the strength to finish. "But I don' wan' them memories no more," she said haltingly, a sob threatening to choke her. Biting it back, she continued. "I don't wanna keep rememberin' his hands on me or his mouth on me."

As her voice broke from an unbidden cry, Simon brought a hand to her cheek, his own eyes clouding with concern. "I wanna throw them memories away an' replace 'em with good ones, of you an' me." Resting her hand to his face, she looked again into his blue eyes and asked quietly, "Okay?"

He nodded once, and smiled slightly, a similar grin also gracing Kaylee's features. Again resting her forehead to his, they sat in silence for many moments, before Kaylee finally murmured, "Touch me, Simon."

Again cradling her face in his hands, Simon stroked his fingers through her still damp hair, bringing them down along her cheek. As they ghosted over her neck and along her shoulder, Kaylee sighed into him, bringing her mouth back to his and kissing him again.

It was instinct and memory that brought them together, Simon's light touch floating down her arms, his hands falling to her waist and pulling her into his lap. Kaylee's hands moved on their own as well, resting against his chest, before moving up and under his arms, bringing him closer.

Kissing and caressing each other far into the night, Simon and Kaylee both fell asleep in the other's embrace, blissful looks of contentment on their features. It was their first peaceful sleep in weeks.

-- --

Translations:

Shenme – What?

Xiong meng de kuang ren! – Violent lunatic

Ni yao wo kai qiang? – Do you want a bullet in your throat?

Gai si – Go to hell.


	16. Chapter 15

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 15

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 15**

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 08:15

The trial of renowned Ambassador, Isaiah Creighton, is set to begin in just forty-five minutes. The court house and surrounding blocks have been swarming with media outlets from around the 'verse since word of Creighton's charges was leaked to the press.

The ambassador, a native of Paquin, was arrested at his home a little over three weeks ago, in the midst of a lavish party. In recent days, Chief Backer of the Rogers City police force has revealed that the ambassador is being charged with twelve counts of kidnapping, exploitation, lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual assault. These charges stem from evidence, found at Creighton's estate, linking him to an illegal gentlemen's club on the outskirts of Rogers City.

Details are still sketchy, but it is hoped that as witnesses testify a better picture of what exactly Creighton has done will be brought to light.

-- --

The first few days of Creighton's trial were examples in grandstanding and not much else. Inara insisted that they go and Mal accompanied her, occasionally bringing Zoe or Jayne along. Simon and River were forced to stay out of sight, the high-level of security and the proliferation of news cameras making their chances of being spotted highly likely. Kaylee simply didn't want to be anywhere near the man and so she stayed with the siblings.

Inara couldn't really blame her. Kaylee had come a long way, to be sure. She was no longer waking up screaming in the middle of the night or flinching every time Simon reached for her, but the ex-Companion knew, from more experience than she would have ever wanted to admit, that the recovery process was slow and Kaylee still needed time.

Now, as the first full week of the trial drew to an end, the prosecution was finally ready to call a witness. As the taller, older lawyer rose to address the judge, Inara tensed involuntarily and Mal felt it. Looking to her, he whispered softly, "You all right?"

Before she could answer, the prosecutor, Michael Wu, said, "The prosecution calls Inara Serra to the stand."

Trying hard to ignore Mal's shocked expression, Inara rose, her posture immaculate, her step sure and strode towards the witness stand. As she repeated the oath after the bailiff, Inara met Mal's concerned and slightly miffed gaze across the room. Smiling slightly at him as she sank into the chair, Inara turned her full attention to Mister Wu as he approached her.

"Miss Serra, would you mind stating your full name and occupation, for the record?" he asked, leaning against the judge's stand.

Nodding, Inara answered, "Inara Serra. I am a former companion."

Raising his eyebrows slightly, Wu glanced to the jury and then back to Inara. "Former?" he questioned, getting a slight nod of assurance from her. "I was under the impression that Companions did not retire until much later in life."

Holding his gaze steadily, Inara answered, "They usually do not."

"So, why did you?" he asked, his tone casual.

"Circumstances in my life dictated that it was time for a career change."

Turning back to her, Wu smiled slightly and then asked, "Miss Serra, how do you know the defendant, Isaiah Creighton?"

With a cold, steely gaze, Inara pursed her lips at the smug hun dan and answered, "My younger sister danced in his ballet company for a time. And I was a guest in his home on the night of his arrest."

"Your younger sister, Malena, is that correct?" Wu asked, holding up a data sheet with Malena's youthful face on it.

Inara nodded once. "Yes, that is correct."

"Where is your sister now, Miss Serra?" the lawyer asked, again stepping towards her.

Casting her gaze to her feet, Inara said softly, "Dead."

The room uttered a collective gasp and as a low din of conversation began to circulate, the judge banged his gavel. "Order!"

Once there was again silence, Wu came forward and leaned lightly on the front of the witness box. "I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Serra," he confided. As she smiled weakly to him, he asked, "How did your sister die?"

"She had cancer." Inara's voice had lost some of its edge as the memory of Laney's burial was still fresh in her mind.

Playing his part expertly, Wu looked between Inara and Creighton and asked, "So then, it is not your intention to accuse the ambassador of killing your sister?"

"Objection!" Creighton's lawyer rose to her feet and complained to the judge. "Prosecution is leading the witness."

"Withdrawn," Wu offered before the judge could scold him. Looking back to Inara, he asked her, "Why are you here then, Miss Serra?"

"Because I was with Chief Becker and the authorities the night they raided that sex club," she said, her voice again cold. "I saw what had become of those women, what he made them do."

"Objection, your honor," the defense lawyer said again. "The witness is speculating. My client was nowhere near this club on the night of his arrest. How could she have seen him force those women to do anything?"

Nodding curtly to her, the judge turned to Inara. "You will need to keep your answers focused on what you saw, Miss. Nothing more."

Inara nodded once and then turned back to Wu as he asked, "So, Miss Serra, what did you see?"

Swallowing thickly, Inara explained in remarkable detail the conditions she had witnessed that evening. She recounted the injuries of each woman, the smells, the sounds, the sight of that dank and disgusting place. Wu let Inara's words and her calm demeanor work their magic on the jury. He could tell that they were hanging on her every word and he loved it.

As Inara's testimony came to an end, he nodded once in her direction and turned back to regard his counterpart. "Your witness," he told her, moving to resume his seat.

The woman, a young and attractive one that befitted Creighton's obsession, rose and moved towards Inara with a small smile on her face. "Miss Serra, since you've retired from the companion's guild, what has been your occupation?"

Shrugging lightly, Inara told her, "I've been taking some time off."

Nodding once, the woman pursed her lips and asked, "How do you plan to make a living once you've taken this time?"

Confused as to where exactly the attorney was heading, Inara answered guardedly, "I don't know. I guess I haven't given it much thought."

Pausing, the two women held each other's gazes, both accustomed to being strong and independent and both refusing to back down. After an acceptable silence, the attorney asked, "Tell me Miss Serra, where do you currently live?"

"Since I've been on planet," Inara began to explain, stopping as the other woman raised a hand.

"No, I mean, permanently," she corrected.

Swallowing hard, Inara told her, "I rent a shuttle on a transport ship, Serenity."

"Rent?" The attorney's eyes shined as she obviously thought she was on to something. "But you just told us you are not currently employed. How do you pay this fee?"

Her eyes flitting to Mal and back again, Inara told her, "The arrangement with the ship's captain is fluid."

Nodding once, the attorney walked away from Inara, back towards her table and picked something up. Looking back to her witness, she asked, "What is your relationship with the ship's captain?"

"Objection, your honor," Wu said, rising from his chair. "Relevance?"

"I am making a point, your honor," the female attorney assured.

Nodding reluctantly, the judge told her, "Make it faster."

"How long have you been on Serenity?"

"On and off for about two and a half years," Inara told her.

Nodding once, the woman's eyes darted towards the jury as she asked, "And tell me, Miss Serra, were you on or off when Serenity's captain, Malcolm Reynolds, released the Miranda broadwave?"

Another gasp tore through the room and this time the conversations and chatter were loud and disturbing. Inara simply stared at the attorney as the other woman stared back, both of them waiting for the audience to calm itself. After the judge's fifth bang of the gavel, the room was again quiet and the questioning woman prompted, "Well?"

Lifting her chin and keeping her eyes clear, Inara admitted, "On."

"So, then we can assume that this is part of what you do, Miss Serra?" the woman questioned, walking over and pacing in front of the jury box. "You bring down men in positions of power by slandering their good names?"

"Objection, your honor, speculation," Wu said, watching in horror as one of his key witnesses was discredited.

"I'll allow it," the judge said, intrigued as he watched the defense attorney build her case.

"Is that true, Miss Serra?" the woman asked, turning back to face her. "Do you find enjoyment in destroying these men?"

Inara refused to answer the question and did not flinch as the woman approached her, a hard look in her eyes. "Is this a common practice among whores?"

"Hey! That's enough!" Inara let a small sigh escape her lips as she heard Mal's outraged cry. As all eyes, including a very irate judge's turned to him, Mal continued to defend her honor, his expression one of anger. "You can't call 'er that! It ain't right! And Miranda was true, I seen it with my own eyes!"

"Take your seat or I will throw you out of this courtroom," the judge bellowed and as Mal again opened his mouth to speak, the older man motioned to two guards. As they came towards the offended boyfriend, Mal smiled at Inara sheepishly before letting them lead him from the room.

Once the heavy wooden doors had closed and the room was again peaceful, the female attorney turned back to Inara and stared. "No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down, Miss Serra."

-- --

Inara was not surprised to find Mal sitting on the steps of the courthouse, carefully out of sight of the news cameras feeding links across the cortex. With a small sigh, she shook her head and then took another step towards him, saying, "You certainly have a way with people."

Glancing up quickly at the sound of her voice, he was in front of her in an instant, his eyes searching hers for pain or distress. "You all right?" he asked quickly, ignoring her insult.

Smiling to him, she took his hands from her face and squeezed them gently. "I'm fine, Mal." As he released a breath and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her down the stairs to the sidewalk, she reminded him, "It's not like I haven't been called a whore before. By you in fact."

"Hey now, there's not need to go dredgin' up the past," he teased lightly, pressing a kiss into her hair as they walked. Mal let the silence stay between them for many moments before speaking again. "You think they're gonna get 'im?"

Inara bit back her first answer. She had been so hopeful when the trial had begun that Creighton would be serving jail time for a good long while, but after this past week she wasn't so sure. Creighton's attorney had called on every contact to paint her client as an upstanding and respectable politician and while Wu had done his best to color an exactly opposite picture, even Inara found Creighton's team of lawyers far more convincing.

Squeezing herself a bit tighter to Mal's side, Inara told him quietly, "I don't know."

"You coulda tol' me you was goin' to testify," he said quietly as they continued to walk. The nights on Paquin were getting chillier, winter set to arrive soon and they were walking as close as they could, for comfort and for warmth.

"I know," she admitted quietly. "But I was worried you might try and talk me out of it. And I needed to do it, Mal. Regardless of the outcome."

He glanced down to see her big brown eyes locked on his face and he tipped his head to press a quick kiss to her lips. "I know, darlin'," he said quietly. In just a few more minutes, they were back at the apartment, where they were greeted with the sounds of laughter – genuine, deep in the belly, watery eyes kind of laughter.

As they entered the apartment, smiles on their faces at just the sound of their happy family, Mal and Inara both took in the sight of Jayne, standing on the sofa, with the goofiest grin on his face, one hand cocked under his arm pit and the other scratching at his side.

"All right," Mal said, allowing his tone to come across a bit harsh. As all eyes in the room turned to regard him, he let his gaze settle on Simon as he asked, "Did you dope Jayne again?"

Working to speak around the laughter that he couldn't contain, Simon told him, "No, we're playing charades, captain." Looking back to Jayne, who had sheepishly sunk onto the couch, Simon waved a hand in his direction. "Jayne has been acting like a monkey completely sober."

"Well, that really ain't all that different, now is it?" Zoe asked, her eyebrow quirking at the big man. As Jayne scowled at her and chucked a pillow in her direction, he smiled and asked, "How was court?"

Noting the tension that instantly filled the room at the mere mention of the trial, Inara moved forward and took a seat on the couch next to River. "Just fine," she told them. Her eyes lighting with mischief, she looked back to Mal and said, "I think we should play. Are you game?"

"Oh, never let it be said Malcolm Reynolds backs down from a challenge," he teased, crossing the room to perch himself on the back of the couch behind her.

"Except for that one time," Zoe smirked, her eyes dancing as she looked back to her friend.

"Yeah, an' that other time," Jayne chimed in, his own face breaking into a wide grin.

"I do seem to recall a moment when-" Simon began, Kaylee looking to him adoringly as she tried to contain her giggles.

But Mal stopped the statement. "All right, anybody who still wants a job when we get off this rock better rethink the next words comin' outta their mouths." As the room fell silent, everyone still trying to suppress their fits of laughter, Mal nodded once in satisfaction. "That's better."

"You don't back down from challenges, captain Daddy," River added, her voice sweet.

Grinning to her, Mal pressed a kiss into her hair and smirked at the rest of them. "Why thank you albatross."

"You just run away from them," she added with a knowing grin, causing Mal to scowl while the rest of them exploded with laughter. As Mal watched his crew, his family, laugh until they cried he found he couldn't help but laugh just a bit himself.

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 18:26

With Ambassador Creighton's trial set to resume tomorrow, the prosecution's list of witnesses is dwindling. After the near disastrous testimony at the end of last week of Inara Serra, Attorney Michael Wu had hoped to regain momentum by calling two Companions to testify, both of whom were found at the club during the raid.

However, in a statement issued by the Companion's Guild just this morning, the Guild has worked a deal with the court to keep its employees from taking the stand.

-- --

"Hellen, please?" Inara could hear the plea in her voice, but she was powerless to remove it as she begged with her friend. "Sylvie and Rachelle need to take the stand. They're the only girls with any kind of credibility to build a case against Creighton."

Shaking her head firmly, Hellen's expression did not waver as she told her friend, "I'm sorry, Inara. But the Guild has larger concerns. We cannot alienate a man like Isaiah Creighton or any politician for that matter. You know what kind of business they provide to the Guild."

"He's a kidnapper and a rapist, Hellen," Inara bit out, letting her eyes fill with the anger she felt. "If he's set free, he'll only hurt more of your girls."

If her words had any affect, Hellen did not give any hint of it. Regarding Inara through the screen, she said softly, "The decision is final, mei mei and out of my hands."

With that the screen winked off and Inara sat back with a heavy sigh, glaring at the now black surface. "'Nara, it ain't the end of the world," Mal tried to tell her, moving behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders.

Tipping her head back to look at him, she asked bitterly, "Isn't it? Creighton's managed to scare the other women out of testifying, Malena's dead and River can't be seen anywhere near that courthouse." Rising, she let out a heavy sigh as she passed into the kitchen. Moving to fill the tea kettle, she told him softly, "The evidence we found won't continue to hold up without some fairly compelling testimony."

Shutting off the tap, Inara was about to turn and place the full kettle to the stove when she felt a wave of tiredness assault her. Leaning heavily on the counter in front of her, she let out another huge sigh. Mal came to her side in an instant, his arm around her waist.

Leaning into him, Inara moved with him back to the living room and let him sit her on the couch. As she met his concerned gaze, he asked quietly, "You wan' me t'get Simon?"

Shaking her head, Inara said softly, "She can't have suffered for nothing, Mal."

His eyes full of sympathy, he rested a hand to her face and told her, "I know, darlin'."

Just as she was about to say something else, they heard a sharp rap on the door that instantly set them on edge. Mal rose to answer it, his hand hovering over his holstered weapon as Simon stumbled from the back bedroom, Kaylee hovering in the doorway. It wasn't particularly late or early, but sleep had been a rare commodity as of late, so everyone was getting it when they could. Zoe and Jayne had wandered back to Serenity, checking on her and River was lying down in Inara's room.

As Mal cracked the door open, Inara watched his shoulders relax and then smiled as she saw him usher their visitor inside. Going to him, she shook his hand and welcomed him. "Chief Becker, what a pleasure to see you. Please, come in."

"Thank you Miss Serra," the man told her, looking up and catching a glimpse of a retreating figure into the back bedroom. "I hope I haven't come at a bad time."

With a shared grimace between Mal and Inara, the young woman answered, "I'm not exactly sure when there would be a good time."

"True," the older man murmured as he took a seat. Watching Mal and Inara sit across from him, he waited until they were settled before speaking. "That's actually what I came to speak with you about; Creighton's trial."

Reaching for Inara's hand, Mal took it in his own and squeezed gently as he asked, "What about it?"

With a heavy sigh, the man dropped his gaze to the floor, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. When he again brought his eyes up to regard them, the regret he exhibited caused Inara's breath to hitch in her throat. "It's not looking good," Becker finally admitted.

"We knew that, chief," Mal told him, letting a small grin play across his features.

"How not good?" Inara asked, her eyes never wavering from the policeman's.

With another sigh, Becker faced her fully and said succinctly, "He's going to walk."

Inhaling a sharp breath, Inara stiffened at Mal's side, her eyes wide. Shaking her head she murmured, "No, he can't."

Frowning, Becker told her, "Actually, I'm afraid he can. The man is extremely powerful and extremely wealthy. And while the evidence you uncovered is fairly damning, it can be considered circumstantial. Without a witness to corroborate the claims that he is a sadistic man who preys on young women, the prosecution doesn't have much of a case."

Neither Mal nor Inara could speak; the image of that prison where they had found River and Malena burned into their brains; the image of Kaylee, beaten and unconscious indelibly implanted in their hearts. How could a man like Creighton, who had caused that much pain, not have to pay for it?

As Becker watched them both struggle with their reactions, he finally rose and told them, "I truly am sorry, but I felt you should be warned." Looking to Mal, he instructed the man, "If I were you, I'd take Miss Serra and the rest of your crew and get as far way from Paquin and the ambassador as you can."

Mal nodded once, still at a loss for words and then let the man out. Returning to Inara's side a few moments later, he was not surprised to find her standing and gazing out the large sliding glass doors, her arms wrapped around herself protectively.

Placing an arm around her shoulders, Mal held her close, Inara's head falling to his shoulder. "I can't believe it," she murmured, her tone full of sadness. "I can't believe he's really going to get away with it."

Mal could believe it; he'd seen plenty of tamade hun dans like Creighton get away with worse, but he'd wanted to believe, for Inara, Kaylee, River and Malena's sakes that this time it would be different. That this time the bastard would pay for the hurt he'd caused, the terror he'd inspired. And it angered him to no end that despite his best efforts to be sure that happened, he'd failed.

"He ain't gettin' away with nothin'." The shaky voice could only belong to one person and both Mal and Inara turned with wide-eyed gazes to take in Kaylee's trembling form. Simon was beside her, his face a mixture of pride and resignation.

Kaylee's eyes burned with a bit of her old spark as she made her way towards them, Simon's hand firmly in hers. Meeting Inara's saddened gaze, Kaylee told her, "He ain't gettin' away with it, 'Nara. I'm gonna testify."

Knowing the kind of pain that could cause the girl, Inara rested a light hand to her cheek. "Mei mei, you don't have to do that."

"Yeah, lil' Kaylee," Mal said, remembering Inara's embarrassment when she'd taken the stand and knowing something like that could easily destroy his mechanic. "You don't gotta do that. It's a big commitment."

"An' that's why I gotta do it," she told him, her eyes darting between them before glancing back to Simon. As her eyes fell to his face, Simon wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss into her hair. Looking back to her friends, she told them, "I can do this."

"You know that Simon can't come, right mei mei?" Inara asked gently, judging by the way Kaylee's face paled that she had not thought of that. "It's too dangerous for Simon to be so exposed. And River as well."

Her insides twisting a bit with increased nervousness at the thought of not having her rock there, Kaylee took a few deep breaths and then said, "I can still do it."

"Yes, Kaylee, you can," Simon whispered as he again pulled her close. "You can do anything."

The four of them stood staring at one another for several moments before finally Mal said, "All right, well, if'n you're doin' this, we're all goin."

"I'll go call mister Wu," Inara said, hurrying back to the wave screen. "Hopefully, he can put you on the stand within a few days and you can get it over with," Inara told her.

Kaylee nodded once, swallowing thickly. Turning in Simon's arms, she looked to him with questioning eyes. Leaning down and pressing a kiss to her mouth, he whispered, "You can do this, Kaylee."

She nodded again and then leaned against him, more than grateful as they moved back to bed.

-- --


	17. Chapter 16

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 16

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 16**

-- --

Kaylee smoothed down the front of her skirt and again straightened her hair so it fell behind her shoulders. Lifting her gaze back to the mirror before her, she cocked her head to one side and studied her image. Turning her face to the right, she regarded with a critical eye the still healing gash that Creighton had left her with.

With a slight sigh, she shrugged once and tried to again quell the doubt that was coursing through her. She wanted to do this; she wanted to make sure that tamade hun dan never hurt another girl again, but even just the thought of today, when the prosecutor, Mister Wu, would be coming by to prep her for trial made her belly tense and her insides quiver.

A light rap to the bathroom door startled her, and Kaylee immediately took a deep breath to try and calm herself. "Bao bei?" It was Simon, of course; her constant companion since all of this horror had happened. Kaylee allowed a faint smile to grace her face, her heart beating just a bit faster as she felt her love from him to wash over her. "Are you all right?"

Taking another deep breath, Kaylee closed her eyes and counted to ten, before pulling open the door and greeting him with a wide smile. A smile, Simon was pleased to note, was not half as fake as some of her other's over the past weeks. Gazing to her intently, Simon stepped forward and reached for her hand which she extended to him as he pulled her into the room. "Everything okay?"

She nodded once, leaning in to kiss him lightly. "I'm fine, sweetie."

With an upraised eyebrow and a slight frown, Simon conveyed to her silently that he wasn't convinced, and truthfully, Kaylee wasn't all that surprised. Simon was not an idiot, despite his inability to say anything coherent around her in the first few months they had known each other. But over the last six months, as their relationship had deepened and grown, he had come to know her, each sigh, each smile, each pout, each gesture and read them like words on a page. As he was doing right now.

Pulling her towards him gently, he encircled her waist with one arm while resting his other hand against her still healing cheek. "It's okay to be nervous," he reminded her, tipping his forehead against hers.

Kaylee nodded and let out a shaky breath. "Good," she admitted quietly, smiling sheepishly. "'Cause I'm all kinds o' nervous."

Kissing her again, Simon pulled back and led her from the room. "You'll be fine and I'll be right here the whole time."

They had reached the living room as Simon spoke this last statement and Kaylee threw a hesitant smile to Mal, Inara and River who were seated there. Tugging gently on Simon's hand, Kaylee waited until he'd turned to face her before saying, "Sweetie, that's real thoughtful of ya, but once the lawyer gets here, I wan' ya to go."

Frowning, Simon stepped towards her and shook his head. "No, Kaylee, I'm staying. I want to be here."

Kaylee smiled to him wider, her heart again getting that light flutter as she gazed into his blue eyes and saw his overwhelming compassion. Resting a hand to his face she said, "An' trust me, I wan' ya here. But ya ain't gonna be able to come to court an' I'm thinkin' that if'n I'm really gonna practice, I should try to get as close to the real thing as possible."

Simon's lips pressed into a thin line as he thought on her words. He didn't want to go, not at all. He wanted to be here, holding her hand, comforting her when the memories became too much. Truthfully, he didn't want her going through this at all. Simon had found himself wishing more often than not over the past few weeks that he could turn back time, take away that horrible night and keep Kaylee safe and protected.

But he knew he couldn't and, what was worse, he knew she was right. He would not be able to go to court and as much as that pained him, as much as he felt guilty for what was, in his mind at least, abandonment, the risk was too great, for him and his sister. Gazing into her green eyes, Simon saw her determination there, tinted with just a bit of fear and a whole lot of love directed at him.

With a resigned sigh, leaned forward and wrapped her into a tight embrace. "I really don't want to go," he whispered as he buried his face into her hair.

Kaylee hugged him back just as hard, and murmured, "I know, sweetie. But it's only a couple o' hours." Leaning back from him, she again met his blue-eyed gaze and asked, "For me? Please?"

Placing a finger under her chin, Simon lifted her mouth to his as he nodded once. "Anything for you, Kaylee," he whispered against her lips before kissing her, softly, sweetly. Kaylee sighed a bit into the embrace, and then too quickly, it was over, a knock on the door breaking their moment.

Inara ushered the lawyer into the room as Simon moved forward to collect his sister. "Come on, River, what do you say we go out for a while?"

Beaming at him, River rose and took his hand, looking back to Inara and Kaylee with a grin, before turning to Mal. Beckoning to him, she said brightly, "Come on, daddy. You're not needed here."

Frowning at her, Mal was not too keen on that assessment and mostly because he knew it was true. He was fairly useless at the moment. Giving a nod to Wu, Mal moved forward and lowered his voice, asking Inara, "You two gonna be all right?"

Smiling to him, Inara kissed his cheek softly and then reached for Kaylee, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. "We'll be fine. You have fun with the two of them. Keep them out of trouble."

He grinned wickedly at her, before stepping towards Kaylee and squeezing her hand reassuringly. "You'll be all right, mei mei," Mal told her softly, pressing a kiss into her hair before heading for the door.

Kaylee vaguely heard the door shut, as she felt her insides squirming again. Inara gazed to her friend, who had slumped a bit against her side. Noting her pale cheeks, Inara guided Kaylee to the couch, gesturing for Mister Wu to sit across from them and offering him a refreshment. When he'd informed her he was fine, he finally addressed Kaylee.

"Miss Frye?" he asked, his voice not at all hard or cold as Kaylee had expected it to be.

Nodding once, Kaylee forced her eyes up to his face and smiled meekly. "Yes, sir."

Smiling to her, Wu leaned forward and extended his hand. "I'm Michael Wu, Miss Frye. I'm the lawyer who's been prosecuting the Creighton case."

Kaylee shook his hand and then leaned back into the couch. "I know, I seen ya on the vids. You've been doin' real good."

He smiled at her compliment and murmured a thank you, before reaching into the bag he'd brought and pulling out a data card and stylus. "I want you to know, Miss Frye that I think it's very brave of you to come forward like this. Most women, when they are the victims of sexual assault, find it very difficult to step forward and testify against their attackers."

Kaylee swallowed hard past the lump in her throat, her body around starting to tingle with anxiety and fear as he spoke. She nodded mutely unable to think of a response. Glancing to Inara, her friend squeezed her hand gently and said, "You'll be fine, mei mei. Mister Wu's just going to run through some of the questions he wants to ask. Make sure that your answers are what he's expecting so there aren't a lot of surprises."

Nodding once, the lawyer said, "Precisely. Remember, Kaylee, I'm on your side."

Kaylee again swallowed thickly and then slowly sat forward, clasping her hands in her lap. "All right then," she said, forcing her voice steady. "We might as well get goin'."

-- --

River, Mal and Simon had not ventured far from the apartment. The days were getting colder, winter almost fully upon them and so they had simply wandered a few blocks to a small café where they now sat, mostly in a stilted silence. Simon and Mal nursed mugs of coffee, while River giddily imbibed a cup of hot chocolate which had arrived with a tower of whipped cream that had reached her nose.

As River sipped her drink now, being careful not to let the hot liquid burn her tongue, she regarded her brother and her captain. Both men were sad, very sad, and River felt for them. Of course, they both were utter and complete boobs, but in a way, that only made her feel worse for them.

From where she sat between them, River extended her arms, covering one of each of their hands with her own. As they lifted their blue eyes to hers, she said softly, "Family's okay now. Don't need to worry."

"River," Simon intoned, sitting forward and covering her hand with his. "We're a long way from okay."

Shaking her head, River told him firmly, "No, Simon, we're a long way from home, but not from okay." Leaning towards him, she added softly, "Kaylee has always been strong. Her heart is stronger now, like yours." Resting a gentle hand to his chest, just over his life-sustaining organ, she brought her big eyes back to his and said, "Stronger together. Strong enough to survive."

Smiling to her, Simon held her gaze for a moment more, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you mei mei."

"You got any fancy words fer me?" Mal asked sullenly, having watched their sibling interlude from across the table.

Turning to him, River smiled slyly and answered, "Maybe. Depends though."

Cocking an eyebrow to her, Mal decided to take the bait. "On what?"

Meeting his gaze, she said simply, "On whether or not you believe."

The table fell into complete silence as Mal's face blanched. River held his eyes with her own, even as they hardened a bit with anger. Leaning forward, he asked, "What're you doin'? Channelin' the shepherd?"

River cocked her head to one side as if listening and then shrugged lightly. "No, he's not here. But you still have to believe."

"Ain't nothin' to believe in, lil' one," he told her sadly, not really aware he was going to speak until the words had already spilled forth. "Not when bad things happen to good women like you an' Malena an' Kaylee." Slumping back with a sigh, he said, "Nope, not a lot to believe in at all."

Leaning towards him in much the way she had with her brother, River cupped Mal's chin in her hand and brought his eyes back to her face. "Yes there is," she said quietly, her eyes shining. "Believe in love."

Mal almost fell for it, but with a snort of disbelief and a roll of his eyes, he shook off her hand and reached for his coffee. "Whatda ya think I am?" he asked, taking a sip. "Some gorram school girl? Believe in love," he muttered, shaking his head. "Ruttin' reader's messin' with my head."

River watched him for a moment, feeling hurt as he dismissed her notion so readily. Of course, she was also sad for him; Mal wanted to believe, wanted to very badly. In fact, deep down, he'd never stopped, but now, watching the women he loved most in the 'verse suffer such tragedy, he could not feel the warmth in his heart that Simon did. He could not find that inner light that would make him glow. He was afraid to.

Rising slowly, she reached for her jacket and whispered, "You do believe," before turning and bolting from the small restaurant.

With a heavy sigh of annoyance, Simon rose to follow her. "You can't just ever humor her can you?" he asked bitingly, before leaving.

Mal watched him go, his features immediately filling with sadness once the younger man was out of sight. "Girl's a reader," Mal muttered as he turned back to his coffee. "What would be the point?"

-- --

Simon stepped out into the cold afternoon air and glanced up and down the sidewalk once, easily catching sight of his sister's graceful form. She had not gotten far, wandering into a small square and walking on pointed foot around the edge of a fountain.

Moving towards her, Simon matched her pace, staying on the ground as she balanced herself on the lip of the stone bath. Glancing up to her, he was about to speak, when she beat him to it. "It'll be Christmas soon," she murmured, pausing her walk to turn her face, eyes closed, towards the sky. Taking a deep breath, she muttered, "Mmm, snow," before looking back down to him with a wide grin.

"Snow, huh?" he asked, returning her grin and resuming his pace as she resumed hers. "I seem to remember a particularly devious little sister hitting me with a snowball on the way home from school one day."

With a small laugh, River said softly, "I had to." Turning to regard him with a serious expression, she reminded him, "You were going to kiss Mary Ling."

Chuckling softly, Simon nodded once, easily remembering how River's accurately thrown and well-timed ball of ice had collided with the back of his head just as he'd leaned in to touch Mary's lips. Remembering the unbelievable snot Mary had turned out to be, Simon glanced up to River and said, "I suppose I should thank you."

Smiling, River reached out a hand which Simon took, helping her back down. Standing in front of him, River said truthfully, "I've always had better taste than you, Simon."

His eyes widening a bit, Simon dropped an easy arm across her shoulders and guided her to a bench. As they sat, he said, "Well, if that's the case, why didn't you clue me into Kaylee? I could have really used your expertise."

Her expression sobering instantly at the memory, River answered quietly, "Couldn't then. Too confused, too sick. Needed my brother, all of him."

Picking up on the change in her tone and demeanor, Simon pulled her to him as he said, "You have me, mei mei. I'll never leave you."

Shaking her head suddenly, when River again turned to look at him, her eyes were clear and playful. "That's not true, Simon," she told him honestly, not at all surprised when his eyes widened in shock. "You will someday. You and Kaylee. You'll leave me so you can have babies."

As he worked his mouth to counter her statement, River placed a hand to his cheek and said, "Trust me, I'd rather not be there for that."

Simon's mind reeled at her assertions; he had of course considered the idea. He knew, had known for quite some time, that Kaylee was it – his one and only. He would marry her and grow old with her, have a house and a family, make great memories, survive the not so good ones – all with her. But he had no idea when or how any of that would happen; not when he was still a fugitive, on the run from a very powerful government that either wanted him dead or wanted to use him to set a trap for his mentally unstable, but brilliant sister. His current situation did not lend itself to happily ever after.

Finally regaining his voice, Simon told her, "That's a long time off, mei mei. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Rolling her eyes at him, River let it drop, knowing that he'd never believe her. Settling back onto the bench, she let the silence remain between them for a few minutes before telling him, "She doesn't feel abandoned."

Frowning to her, Simon pulled his mind from his musings and back to his sister. "Who?"

Rolling her eyes again, River poked her elbow into his ribs and said in exasperation, "Kaylee. She understands why you can't be there."

With a sigh, Simon murmured, "I wish I did." Looking back to his sister with fresh sadness in his eyes, he told her, "I don't like the idea of her going through that alone."

"She won't be alone," River reminded him, her own expression conveying sympathy for the girl she considered a sister. "Captain Daddy and Inara and Zoe and Jayne will be there." As Simon dropped his eyes to the ground, his doubt and guilt still swirling through his mind, she said gently, "And so will you."

Shaking his head resolutely, Simon again looked to her and then past her as he caught Mal striding towards them. "No, mei mei," he said softly, pulling her to her feet. "I won't. I can't."

Smiling that knowing grin that Simon had learned to despise from the age of ten, River grabbed his hand and pulled him along, murmuring, "You'll find a way."

-- --

"Kaylee, can you tell me why you were posing as a companion?"

Wu's question was not particularly harsh or menacing, but Kaylee still find her mouth dry, her tongue refusing to work. They had been at this for a little over an hour now and Kaylee was wearying quickly. Her eyes tired she looked to the man and said softly, "I was trying to help 'Nara, find her sister."

"How was impersonating a companion going to find Miss Serra's sister?"

Shrugging lightly, Kaylee said softly, "I don't know. I jus' needed to distract him for a bit."

Wu nodded, tapping a few notes into his data pad, before pacing past her and resuming his questioning. "And did you? Distract him?"

Her eyes wide, Kaylee looked to him and said, "I guess. We danced a few times an' he seemed to be enjoying himself."

"And were you enjoying yourself, Miss Frye?"

Swallowing thickly, Kaylee answered, "At first. He seemed real nice, tol' me I was pretty. But then …" She trailed off, her throat closing up a bit as her fear returned.

"But then what, Miss Frye?" Wu prompted, stepping towards her.

"He got kinda rough," she admitted in a soft voice. "Said he wanted to be alone with me."

"Did you go with him?"

She nodded once, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Yes. He was grabbin' my arm real tight. Diggin' in, ya know? I thought I had to keep playin' my part."

There was silence for a few moments and then finally Wu set down his data pad and stylus and walked towards her, his hands clasped behind his back, his voice soft. "And then what happened, Miss Frye? Once you were alone with the ambassador?"

Kaylee felt as if the room was spinning and she shut her eyes against the dizzying sensation for a moment. As soon as her lids were closed, she saw the well-appointed room, the sideboard with the brandy, the artwork, and then she felt his hands on her too, his breath hot, his body rubbing against hers … Gasping a bit, Kaylee wrapped her arms around herself and took a deep breath.

"Kaylee? Do you want to stop?" the lawyer asked, his voice dropping even lower as he regarded her distraught form.

As she drew in another steadying breath, willing the air to fill her lungs completely, she again lifted her face and opened clear eyes to the older man. "No, sir. I'm okay."

He nodded once and then asked again, "So then, what happened, Kaylee? When you were alone with the ambassador?"

"He wanted to have sex with me," she admitted, her voice almost completely toneless, her eyes again downcast. "He said he wanted what he paid for. He kissed me first, hard, bit my lip," she explained, her finger ghosting over the barely visible mark. "An' my neck," she added, her hand running to cover the still healing red welt. "Tore at my dress an' grabbed me real hard, rubbin' up on me."

Her voice again faltering, Kaylee took another deep breath and counted silently to five before looking with shining eyes to the lawyer. "I tried to push 'im away," she told him, her voice tinged with a plea that he would believe her. "I almost got away too, but then he …" Kaylee trailed off, running her hands along her thighs, trying to fight the tremors she felt coming over her as each memory replayed through her mind.

"Just take your time, Kaylee," Wu intoned softly, having taken another step closer to her.

She nodded once before continuing. "He grabbed at my hands an' held 'em, real tight, pushed me 'gainst the door. Said – he said," Kaylee voice choked with a sob, and she bit her lip to keep it back, her eyes filling with a few more tears.

"What did he say, Kaylee?"

Clearing her throat, she willed the tears to stay in her eyes; she did not want to cry over this man or what he'd done to her anymore. "Said nobody'd care if he beat me to death."

Silence. Kaylee was grateful for it, grateful for the pause as she felt one lone tear break loose and roll down her face. Wiping at it quickly, she wrapped her arms back around herself as she felt another violent chill sweep over her.

"Then what happened, Kaylee?" Wu asked softly, letting a requisite number of silent minutes pass, before again pressing her to continue.

She shrugged again, feeling at once numb and exposed. "He beat on me a while, first with his hands, an' then with his belt. Beat all 'long my back an' legs an' face," she said, turning her cheek instinctively so he could see the still healing mark.

"Did he hurt you anywhere else?"

It was a benign question, as questions went, but Kaylee knew the meaning behind it and it made her shiver. She nodded once, but did not speak, knowing that if she did her voice would be broken by tears. Giving her a moment, Wu finally asked, "Where else, Kaylee?"

Closing her eyes for a moment, Kaylee ran a hand down her leg, the one with the now healing bruise and said softly, "He pinned me to the floor, got on top o' me. Said he'd get what he paid for." She again bit her lip to keep in a sob, before glancing up to the lawyer and adding, "He kept callin' me a whore, kept sayin' it over an' over."

She faltered again and more silence fell about the room. As Kaylee dropped her chin to her chest, her shoulders heaving with silent sobs, Wu brought her a tissue which she took gratefully. Leaning towards her a bit, he asked softly, "Did Ambassador Creighton rape you, Kaylee?"

With a shaky breath, Kaylee brought her eyes back to his face and shook her head once. "No, sir. He almost did, but one o' the waiters at the party musta heard me yellin' 'cause he came bargin' in. Saved me from him," Kaylee finished quietly, dabbing at her eyes with the tissue, willing her hand not to shake.

Wu looked to the trembling girl for only a moment more, his heart swelling with just a bit of pity for her, before he turned and regarded his colleague. "Your witness," he volunteered softly, heading back to his seat.

The female lawyer returned his small smile as he sat back down and then turned the grin to Kaylee. She had lifted her eyes as Wu had walked away, meeting Inara's across the room. Her friend's face was full of sadness for her, but with the barest of nods, she showed her young friend some support and it did Kaylee a world of good.

Thinking of Simon, Kaylee tried to focus on his handsome face for a just a second before more questions came. She needed to remember his love; she needed to remember his strength so she could make it through this. Looking down to her fisted hand, Kaylee opened her fingers slightly to look at the now crinkled scrap of paper Inara had shoved into them as she'd moved to take the stand. Curious, Kaylee had paused for only a second to read the few words and with a lightness in her heart, she remembered them now: _You can do this. Love, Simon._

Glancing back up and trying to ignore the crowded and tension-filled courtroom, including the cortex vids that were feeding her image across the 'verse, Kaylee met the veiled gaze of the defense attorney.

"Miss Frye, that was very moving testimony," she began quietly, her hands clasped behind her back. Kaylee simply swallowed past the lump in her throat and waited. "But I wonder if we might chat a bit about your life before you arrived on Paquin?"

Nodding, Kaylee mentally reminded herself to stay calm as the attorney came closer and leaned against the judge's bench. "What is your current occupation, Miss Frye?"

"I'm a ship's mechanic, on a firefly named Serenity," Kaylee said, her voice a bit rough from the nervousness she was trying to quell.

Her eyebrows raising in mock astonishment, the woman asked, "A mechanic? That's a bit of an odd occupation for a woman. How did you come to get that job?"

Kaylee explained. "Well, Serenity was on my homeworld for a bit an' I met their current mechanic at the time. I always loved ships, I used to work in my daddy's shop, fixin' machines. So when the mechanic, his name was Bester, when he asked if'n I'd ever seen a firefly 'fore an' of course, I hadn't, he offered to show me."

Nodding the attorney asked, "And when did you meet this Bester?"

Furrowing her eyebrows, Kaylee asked, "Shenme?"

"When you agreed to go back to a strange ship with Bester, how long had you known him?"

Frowning, Kaylee thought on it for a minute, her eyes looking off into the distance and not seeing the alarm in Inara's or Mal's features. Shrugging once, she said, "I dunno, couple o' hours I guess. He'd come into my daddy's shop askin' fer some advice."

As if mulling the statement over, the attorney paced away from Kaylee and towards the jury, murmuring, "A couple of hours." After a moment, she turned back to her witness and asked, "And did Bester show you the engine?"

Nodding, Kaylee felt her cheeks flush involuntarily at the memory. "Yes, ma'am."

"Did he show you anything else?" the woman asked, her arms crossed over her chest, her gaze a bit hard as she stared at the younger woman.

Shaking her head slowly, Kaylee was about to say no, when the attorney reminded her, "You are under oath, Miss Frye."

Her eyes widening imperceptibly at the veiled threat, Kaylee said, "He din't show me nothin' else on the ship."

"Oh," the woman stated, moving towards her again. "So you didn't have sex with this man you'd just met in the engine room of Serenity?"

An astonished gasp rippled through the room and Kaylee felt her face blanch at the mention of her tryst with Bester. Kaylee had never before been ashamed of her actions, sexual or otherwise, it wasn't how she'd been raised. Her mama had always taught her that as long as she was comfortable in her own skin and with who, and what, was being done to it, there was no reason to feel guilty. But she did now, and as Kaylee's eyes flitted to the juror's box, she saw that those people were ashamed of her.

Lowering her eyes to the floor, Kaylee answered softly, "Yes, ma'am, I did."

"You did what, Miss Frye?" The woman pressed the issue, wanting the girl to say, in her colloquial and apparently ingratiating slang just what exactly she had done.

Raising her eyes which now held just a bit of fire, she said evenly, "I had sex with Bester in the engine room."

"A man whom you'd just met?" she asked for clarification, delighting as she watched the jury literally recoil at the girl's words.

"Yes," Kaylee bit out, her heart beating loudly in her chest as she thought about all the people, especially Simon, who was watching this right now. Rubbing at her arms a bit, she wished she could go home and take a shower; she suddenly felt very dirty.

Letting another shocked exclamation run around the room, the D.A. strode back towards her table, sharing a wicked grin with her client, before glancing back to Kaylee. "Miss Frye, tell me, do you currently have a boyfriend?"

Wondering what that could possibly have to do with anything and fearful of what kind of reaction her answer would cause, she answered quietly, "Yes."

"Is he here?" the woman asked, glancing about the room, as if looking for him.

Shaking her head, Kaylee willed her tears to stay in her eyes as she said, "No."

"Really?" the attorney asked, looking back to her. "Does he love you?"

"Objection, your honor," Wu finally interjected, rising and motioning towards the D.A. "Relevance?"

"I'm trying to make a statement about the witness' character, your honor," she hastened to explain, not wishing to lose the momentum she had building.

Nodding once, the judge said, "I'll allow it."

Returning his nod, she looked back to Kaylee and repeated, "This boyfriend of yours, does he love you?"

Defiantly, Kaylee said, "Yes."

"Then why isn't he here?"

Opening her mouth, Kaylee snapped it shut just as quickly. She couldn't tell the truth; she couldn't tell this woman that Simon was hiding in the apartment because he was a wanted fugitive. Sullenly, Kaylee casted her eyes to the floor and answered, "He din't wanna come."

"Well, I wonder why that is?" The woman paced back towards the jury box, her hand to her chin as if pondering all the sublties of the 'verse. "Could it be, Miss Frye that your boyfriend didn't come because he realizes now that you are, in fact, a whore?"

As outraged cries and the bang of the judge's gavel reverberated around the room, the D.A. advanced on her witness, not pausing her tirade. "Is it because he now knows that you are a liar? A woman who will pose as a Companion to sleep with and then slander the name of a good politician? Is it because he now understands that you are a whore?"

Kaylee could only stare with unbelievably wide eyes at the woman in front of her as the judge ordered the room to be quiet. She did not see the horror stricken look on Inara's face or the angry ones on Mal, Jayne and Zoe's. She couldn't see the one of absolute pain on Simon's, back at the apartment, or the look of sympathy on River's as she knelt at her brother's side.

She didn't see any of these things as the attorney's accusations swirled around her brain. Kaylee knew the vindictive woman wasn't right; Kaylee loved people; that was the only crime she was guilty of. But that man, the grinning fool who sat across the room smugly and stared at her, was guilty of a host of other crimes and Kaylee had not come all this way, had not suffered this humiliation to let him walk away.

Still holding the older woman's gaze, Kaylee said quietly, "I'm not a whore."

"No?" the attorney asked, walking back towards the table and picking up a datasheet. Consulting it for a moment, she asked, "Tell me, when did you first become sexually active?"

"Your honor," Wu said, jumping to his feet, a plea written across his face for the man in charge to bring an end to this. "I think the D.A. has made her point."

Nodding once, the judge looked to the female attorney with a hard gaze. "Wrap it up, councilor."

With a sigh, she dropped the datasheet to the table and walked back towards the witness stand. "Miss Frye, when you agreed to pose as a Companion, did you or did you not understand that that deception might involve sex?"

Refusing to be intimidated by the other woman, Kaylee lifted her chin just a bit and answered, "It mighta involved sex, but it din't involve rape."

As some of the crowd and the jurors inhaled sharply at this statement, Kaylee watched the attorney falter for a moment and she took her opening. Pointing to Creighton, whose smug expression had definitely lost some of its smarminess, Kaylee bit out, "What that man did to me, it ain't right. It ain't right for it to be done to any person, any woman. I ain't no prude, but I also ain't a piece o' meat, an' that's somethin' the ambassador don't seem to understand."

Turning her wounded cheek towards the jury, Kaylee said, "You think I did that to myself? Or that?" she asked, tilting her head so they could see the violent bruise and healing cut from where he had bitten into her neck. "No, I din't, that man did 'cause he thought he was owed somethin'. He thought he owned me. But I ain't a piece of property – ain't nobody is."

The crowd's volume rose again and as the judge tried to quiet the room, Kaylee held the hard and slightly annoyed gaze of the D.A. Once there was again silence, the older woman stepped forward and asked, "When you arrived at the ambassador's home that evening, he did believe you to be a Companion, correct?"

Straightening, Kaylee nodded once, and said, "Yes."

Turning her back to the witness, the attorney strode back to the table and resumed her seat. "No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down, Miss Frye."

-- --


	18. Chapter 17

LIMELIGHT: Chapter 17

**LIMELIGHT: Chapter 17**

-- --

Simon was on them the minute they returned, his eyes searching hurriedly for Kaylee. Glancing to Mal as he realized she was not with them, he asked quickly, "Where's Kaylee?"

Resting a hand to the boy's shoulder, Mal told him, "Easy there, son. She an' 'Nara went for a walk, jus' to get some air. They'll be back 'fore long."

Trying to move past him, Simon muttered, "I have to go find her."

"No, Simon," Mal said, his hand firmly grasping his shoulder. "No, you don't. I think you should give lil' Kaylee some time. I'm thinkin' the last thing she wants to do right now is any more explainin'."

His eyes filling with hurt, Simon told him quietly, "She doesn't have to explain anything to me. I could care less about her past. It's not as if I was innocent before we met."

Frowning at him, Mal turned him around and headed back for the living room. Jayne and Zoe had already headed for the kitchen, the merc having grumbled all afternoon about how hungry he was. Joining River where she sat curled into a chair, Mal redirected his gaze to Simon and said, "First of all, I don' ever need to hear that again." As the doctor blushed a bit, Mal said, "An' I know you don't give a ruttin' nickel 'bout Kaylee's past, but that woman," Mal bit out with all the venom he could muster, "She did a right fine job of makin' Kaylee feel all sorts o' bad about what she's done 'fore, an' I think she just needs some time to get it all in perspective."

With a sigh, Simon nodded slightly and then slumped down onto the sofa. His head resting against the back of the couch, he said quietly, "I just want to help her, Mal."

Patting the man's knee, Mal moved past him and towards the kitchen feeling a bit hungry himself. "I know, Simon. I know."

-- --

Kaylee and Inara sat in the small square that Simon and River had found just a day before, gazing at the stilled water of the fountain. They had managed to get out of the courthouse and away from the prying eyes and shouted questions of the reporters, for which Inara was glad. Kaylee had been exposed enough in the past few days, she didn't need any extra attention. Inara watched her friend now as her fingers played absentmindedly with the fringe on her jacket. Finally, Kaylee sighed heavily and muttered, "I shoulda known sleepin' with a jackass like Bester'd come back an' haunt me."

Smiling to her friend, Inara was relieved that this was the first statement out of Kaylee's mouth. The younger woman had been exceedingly tight-lipped since they'd walked from the courthouse and Inara had feared how much she'd been affected by all that the attorney had said. Apparently, it wasn't quite as bad as Inara had thought.

Reaching over and covering the girl's hand with her own, Inara told her softly, "Your tastes have definitely improved, mei mei."

Sighing, Kaylee dropped her head into her hands and murmured, "Oh, Simon." Turning to look at Inara with those impossibly large green eyes, she asked timidly, "You think he's okay?"

Smiling slightly, Inara told her truthfully, "No, my guess is he's panicked, wondering why you're not home." Squeezing her hand she added softly, "He loves you, Kaylee. You should let him help."

Kaylee rose heading away from her friend and again reading the tiny piece of paper with Simon's few scribbled words on it. Clutching it tightly, she said softly, "He's helped enough, 'Nara. An' this whole thing, it's over now." Looking back, Inara noticed the slight plea in her friend's eyes as Kaylee implored, "Ain't it?"

Nodding once, Inara rose and met her friend, holding her by the shoulders. "For the most part, yes, I think it is. But Kaylee, don't be surprised if you still have moments of doubt or fear." Pausing, she cupped her chin in her hand and lifted Kaylee's eyes back to her face. "And don't be ashamed either. Being violated like that, whether Creighton succeeded or not, is not an easy thing to dismiss."

"I jus' don't want Simon feelin' all nervous an' jerky 'round me," she admitted softly. "I mean, I ain't quite ready for us to be sexin', but when I am …" Her eyes again resting to Inara's face, she told her, "I don't want him feelin' bad."

"You're worrying over nothing, mei mei," Inara told her gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her back towards the apartment. Night was falling and the chill wind was getting downright cold. "You and Simon are going to fine. And by the way," Inara said, casting a sidelong glance to her friend. "I haven't told you yet how incredibly proud I am of you. You were amazing up there today."

Smiling brightly, Kaylee said, "Thanks 'Nara. I tried real hard."

"And you did good, Kaylee," the older woman affirmed, pressing a kiss into her friend's hair. "You did really good."

-- --

River was watching her brother carefully as he watched the door with barely contained intensity. Mal, Zoe and Jayne had been back for a good hour, but Kaylee and Inara had yet to reappear. River feared that if her brother's girlfriend didn't show up soon, he might actually go insane.

Reaching out a hand, River squeezed his gently, getting his attention. "She's fine. Just talking, clearing her head."

Simon nodded, but his demeanor did not change, his concern for Kaylee not at all fading. River sat back and tried to tune into the light conversation going on around them. Mal and Zoe were discussing the chances for their next job, while Jayne was busy grumbling every few minutes about their lack of coin. With a sigh, River got up and walked back into the living room, deciding to lay down for a bit. Her wounds were almost fully healed, but she still found herself tired at times.

Settling onto her side in the soft cushions of the couch, River stared out the large sliding glass door across the way and watched as the sun began to set. She really loved the sunsets here; they were vibrant and bright, much more colorful than any she had seen before. Tonight as the sun sank, River noted how all the warm colors were tinted with a bit of blue, a reminder that winter was upon the planet and the air was cold.

She was silent for many moments, her arms wrapped up under her head, her mind lost in reflection. Only when she felt someone else enter the room and a soft blanket fall over her did she pull her gaze away from the sky and look up to see Jayne. "I din't mean to wake ya," he told her quietly, sitting beside her on the couch as she slid back to make room for him.

"You didn't," she assured, snuggling more comfortably under the blanket. "I was just watching the sky."

Jayne's gaze followed hers and she knew that he was trying to understand just what had her so fascinated. Watching his profile as his brow furrowed a bit, she said softly, "It's going to snow."

Turning back to her, Jayne raised a skeptical eyebrow and said, "I don't know 'bout that. It's been pretty cold, but it ain't been that cold."

With an enigmatic grin, River simply said again, "It's going to snow."

Smiling, Jayne leaned down and kissed her cheek. "If'n you say so," he told her, running a hand through her hair. "Can I get you anythin'?"

Shaking her head, she told him, "No."

Sighing, Jayne slapped his thighs lightly and moved to stand. "Well, all right then."

Placing a hand to his arm, she said, "But you can sit with me."

Looking back to her with another warm smile that River knew he did not share often, the big man said, "All right then, we'll sit."

Returning his grin, River soon found that they were talking and laughing, both of them more than pleased to again feel like things were returning to normal.

-- --

Simon heard the turning of the knob the second it moved. Pushing away from the table, he pratically lunged for the entryway, standing in front of the door impatiently as it opened fully to reveal first Inara and then Kaylee. As the Companion smiled kindly to him and then stepped away, Simon's eyes locked onto Kaylee's face.

Before she could say a word, he stepped forward and pulled her to him, hugging her close. Kaylee settled into his embrace releasing a small sigh at the comfort she found there. For untold moments, they stood locked in each other's arms. Simon did not ever want to let her go again. Since she'd taken the stand all he'd been able to think about was her, holding her, kissing her, loving her – erasing every harsh statement and false word that attorney had hurled in her direction.

Finally, his cheek still resting against her soft hair, Simon murmured, "Hungry?"

Shaking her head slightly, Kaylee made no move to disentangle herself. "Not right now." Leaning back just a bit, she said, "I'd really like to go lie down."

Nodding once, Simon moved to let her go, but Kaylee kept her arms firmly around his waist. "No," she said lightly, smiling to him. "With you, silly."

Returning her grin, Simon kept his arm around her shoulders as they moved back towards the bedroom. As Inara watched them go, she turned back to Mal and released a small sigh. "Thank Buddha this is over."

Mal agreed with that statement. Leaning towards her, he pressed a light kiss to her cheek and said, "I'll second that, darlin'."

As the two held each other's gazes, Zoe suddenly felt very out of place. Rising, she said, "I think Jayne an' I'll head back to the ship for the night. We'll be back in the mornin'."

"Are you sure, Zoe?" Inara asked, always the hostess. "You don't have to go."

Smiling kindly to her, the first mate answered, "I think it's been a long day for all of us. Turnin' in a mite early ain't gonna do anybody any harm."

Nodding once, Mal told her, "You got a point there, Zo. You two be careful."

She smiled tightly to him and then moved towards the living room to collect Jayne. In a few minutes, they were gone. Silence surrounded Mal and Inara as they sat close to one another. Looking into Mal's unbelievably blue eyes, Inara found herself lost for a moment, drowning in the compassion she saw reflected there. Blinking quickly, she dropped her gaze to her lap, her sister's face swimming before her for some unknown reason. She had not been to Malena's grave since the burial; she needed to go back, but not now, not tonight.

Leaning towards her, Mal squeezed her hand gently and said, "You all right?"

Taking a deep breath, Inara rose and extended a hand to him. "Let's go to bed."

Nodding once, Mal wasn't about to argue with that statement. Allowing her to pull him towards their bedroom, Mal closed the door, reaching for the light switch as Inara's mouth crushed over his. Kissing him with blind intensity, Inara's hands worked over his shoulders and chest, her fingers pulling at the buttons of his shirt. In a minute she had his skin exposed to her, and she drew her lips away from his to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down his chest.

Mal's head fell back against the door as her touch sent a jolt of desire straight to his groin. Tangling his fingers in her hair, Mal gently lifted her face back to his and, cupping her head in his hand, kissed her again. His lips were soft against hers, his touch tender as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth before running the tip of his tongue along the edge and then pushing it into her mouth. Holding onto one other for dear life, they kept kissing, Mal gently backing Inara up towards the bed until the back of her knees hit the edge and she was forced to sit.

Lying back onto the pillows, Inara's hair fanned out around her and as Mal gazed down at her he got the distinct impression he was staring at an angel. Reaching a hand for him, Mal hovered over her as Inara's fingers caressed his cheek and then ran down his chest, rubbing lightly over his growing arousal and causing a groan to rumble deep in his chest.

"I love you, Mal." The words were a bit stilted and barely audible, but Mal heard them and he snapped his eyes back to her face. Inara did not cry, at least not very often, but he swore he saw tears shining in her eyes now. Reaching out a hand, he gently ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek. With a sigh, she turned her face into his touch, bringing her lips to brush against his hand.

"I love you, darlin'. You know that," he said quietly, leaning down to kiss her again.

She nodded once and then wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Mal reached his hands around her back and pulled her just as tight, feeling every inch of her as it molded into his body. They fit so perfectly; it had been the most shocking thing of all for them to discover, when they'd first come together. Often times, when they were close like this, it was hard for them to tell where one ended and the other began and it only made the intensity of their coupling more incredible.

They continued to kiss and caress, Mal finally divesting himself and Inara of all their clothes. It was not frantic or urgent or even sad love they made that night; it was passionate and comforting and as Inara finally drifted to sleep a few hours later, her head pillowed on Mal's damp chest, she felt lighter and more content than she had in months.

-- --

"You know the things that woman said," Simon began, but Kaylee stopped him, pressing a gentle finger to his lips as she lay on her side facing him.

"I don't wanna talk about it, sweetie," she reminded him, smiling a bit as the arm around her waist pulled her closer. "I really don't."

Simon smiled back and leaned his head forward to kiss her lightly. Once they'd been safely ensconsed in their room, they had made out like teenagers, kissing and touching, but the passion had cooled somewhat and so now, they were just lying in each other's arms and staring in silence. Kaylee wanted to make love to him, wanted to tell him it was okay, that she was ready, but the words wouldn't come and Simon, unable to push, worried that he would hurt her, refused to make the first move.

Resting a light hand to his cheek, Kaylee decided that maybe she did need to talk about it and said softly, "The things that that lady said, 'bout me-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Simon teased her gently, his fingers running through her hair. "It's not important, Kaylee, any of it. I didn't exactly live a celibate life before I came onboard Serenity."

Cocking an intrigued eyebrow, Kaylee smirked. "Oh, really? Do tell Doctor Tam. How many broken hearts did you leave on Osiris?"

Sighing, Simon smiled slightly and told her, "Oh, I doubt there were any broken hearts. But there were one or two girls in medical school who I was very serious about."

Frowning, Kaylee dropped her eyes to his mouth, outlining the perfectness of it with her eyes. "I'll bet you never had sex with any o' them in an engine room."

Chuckling, Simon leaned in to kiss her and murmured against her mouth, "No, you have the distinction of being the first for that." As she returned his grin, her hand falling to the back of his head, her fingers running through his soft hair, he continued. "But I do remember a particulary embarrassing moment of being caught in a supply closet at the hospital."

With mock horror, Kaylee's eyes widened and she playfully slapped at his chest. "Simon! I'm shocked," she exclaimed, giggling as his eyes narrowed and the hand resting at her waist began to tickle her.

"Oh, really," he teased, swallowing her laughter with another kiss as he continued to tickle her. Kaylee writhed a bit, rolling onto her back and laughing so hard she had to gasp for air.

With tears of joy pooling in her eyes, she finally managed to find Simon's most ticklish spot and caused a deep chuckle to erupt from his mouth as well. The two of them wrestled for a bit, each one laughing harder as the other continued their merciless touch. Finally, panting and breathless, Simon had pinned Kaylee's hands to her sides, one of his knees resting between hers, his face hovering just inches from her mouth.

Taking another deep breath, Kaylee returned his gaze and saw the desire and want in his eyes. Simon stared back, thinking that Kaylee had never looked so beautiful, her cheeks flushed a bit from laughter, her eyes shining with mirth. Dipping his head down, he brushed another kiss across her mouth, feeling his need for her increase as she parted her lips and thrust her tongue forward to meet his. Pulling her hands free, she wrapped them around his neck and Simon fought the urge to rub his hardening length against her.

Keeping his arms locked so he was still stationed above her, Simon reluctantly pulled away and whispered, "Kaylee, I don't-"

Shaking her head, Kaylee placed her hands on his cheeks and made him look into her wide, expressive eyes. "Simon, I want you. I wanna do this," she whispered, her breath hot against his lips as she lowered his face to hers and kissed him again, more passionately than before.

A tremor of desire raced down Simon's spine, as Kaylee's hands drifted from his face and down to his pants, her fingers dancing along his lower abdomen as she trailed a finger under the waistband. Moaning slightly into her mouth at the touch, Kaylee continued to kiss him as her hands worked at the fastenings, her cool fingers managing to slip into his underwear and take hold of him in seconds.

Dropping his head to her shoulder, Simon murmured her name breathlessly as she stroked down the length of him, slowly at first and then with greater urgency. Pulling back the collar of her shirt, Simon kissed the soft flesh of her neck and shoulder, his teeth and tongue laving the skin there. Kaylee gave him better access, tipping her head to the side and sighing as his touch caused her to tremble.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, his voice muted as his lips moved against her warm skin.

She nodded, but did not speak, her body responding to just these light touches from him. She could feel herself aching with want and desire, the need for Simon to love her completely making her throb and burn.

Reluctantly, Simon realized that all of this was too much about him and not about Kaylee. Rolling onto his back, he met her pout as she turned to face him. Bringing a hand to her face, Simon brought his lips back to hers and murmured, "Tell me what you want and I'll do it."

Smiling slightly, a devilish glint in her eyes, Kaylee told him, "I just wan' you."

His lips turning up into a grin as she kissed him again fiercely, Simon told her, "You know what I mean." As she pulled away, he ran a hand down her cheek and said, "Tell me how to love you."

Propping herself up on her hands, Kaylee's face hovered over his, her long hair tickling his cheek. "You ain't never needed direction 'fore."

Simon smiled slightly at the statement, but did not answer her tease and Kaylee realized he was serious. He wanted her to dictate what would happen, how he should touch her, hold her, make love to her. He was concerned with her reactions, her feelings, which wasn't really a surprise. Simon was a very loving man and a caring individual and he rarely did anything completely selfish in their bed – unlike others she'd been with. But this was different and Kaylee was torn. She didn't want things to change between them, she didn't want their incredible sex life to suffer after what she'd been through, but the thought of Simon wanting to make her feel safe only made her heart swell with more love for him.

Leaning down gently, she brushed a soft kiss to his mouth which he deepened almost immediately, his hand cradling the back of her head and pulling her closer. Parting for air, she told him, "You don't gotta do anythin' different, Simon. You ain't never made me feel anythin' but loved an' that's all I need."

Opening her eyes, she met his gaze and he smiled, that wide, swai grin she loved so. Holding the look for just another moment, Simon did as she asked, taking her face in both his hands and lowering it back to his, their tongues meeting with increasing desire and need.

Again forced to part for air, Kaylee sat on her knees and started to undo her blouse. Simon sat up, his hands covering hers and took over, moving his light fingers against her skin as he exposed each inch of flesh. Pushing the shirt back, Simon leaned towards her and kissed her along her collarbone, slow, wet kisses that made Kaylee shudder. Gently, his hands pushed along her shoulders and the shirt fell down her arms, exposing her bra to him. Once he'd kissed along her shoulders and arms and back again to her face, Simon worked his hands around her back and unclasped it, pulling it gently from her shoulders and tossing it off the bed.

Kaylee sat in front of him, bare from the waist up and he took a moment to stare. She was beautiful and Simon felt a pang of anger and regret that he had allowed another man to mark her, to hurt her beauty in any way. Sitting a bit closer, Simon's fingertips ghosted lightly down her neck until they had settled over one breast and he cupped the flesh in his hand, his thumb rubbing over her already pert nipple until she moaned with delight. Smiling at her reaction, he brought his mouth back to hers and kissed her again, as his hand fondled her and then danced lower, gently caressing the skin of her stomach.

Feeling more desire burning in her veins, Kaylee decided that Simon was too dressed. Moving her hands towards him, she placed them along his waist, and pulled up on the sweater and undershirt he was wearing. Breaking his contact, Simon allowed her to pull the shirts over his head and drop them to the floor. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of his well-muscled chest, her hands running lightly over the planes of his muscles, one hand stopping to pinch one of his nipples, before her mouth closed over it and her teeth nipped it at lightly, causing him to shudder.

Her hand again falling to the front of his pants, she smiled ferally at him as she again brought her eyes to his face. "A little excited, honey?" she teased as she rubbed her hand along the length of him.

Groaning again, Simon told her, "Always am for you." Kaylee did not miss the deepness to his voice nor the barely contained passion that was burning in his gaze.

Smiling wider at this admission, Kaylee sat up on her knees, pressing their bare chests together and pulling herself tight to him as their lips met. She could feel him now, his hard length pressing against her, separated only by their remaining clothes and she burned with need. She was aching for him, her body throbbing and wet and ready and pushing him onto his back, she told him so.

Straddling his hips, Kaylee shivered as he ran his hands up her thighs and under her skirt, his fingers ghosting over her damp underwear. Unlike when Creighton had touched her there, hard and painfully, Simon's touch was gentle and kind and Kaylee felt a few tears come as the memory of that night warred with her mind to come roaring back to the surface.

Noting her distress, Simon pulled his hands away immediately and cradled her face in his hands. "You okay?" he asked her again.

Opening her eyes and looking into his concerned gaze, Kaylee felt the momentary tension pass. She was more than okay, she was loved by an incredible man whom she loved in return. Nodding, she rubbed her hips suggestively over his, smiling bright when he squeezed his eyes shut and groaned.

The feel of him against her was intense, but Kaylee wanted him inside of her. Sitting back, she shrugged out of her skirt and panties and then made quick work of Simon's, pulling his pants and boxers down over his legs. Her eyes lighting at the sight of his beautifully naked form, Kaylee pressed light kisses to his inner thighs, before again bringing her hand to him and stroking lightly and then urgently, causing her name to again fall from his lips in a whisper.

Reaching for her, Simon found her arms and hauled her up towards him, both of them moaning as their bare and flushed skin rubbed against each other. Pressing her mouth hungrily to his, Kaylee murmured to him, "Love you," even as their kiss deepened stealing their breath.

Simon did not answer her with words, but showed her how much he cared with his touch. Kaylee leaned her forehead against his as he ran his hands down her back and then slowly rolled her onto her back before sinking slowly and cautiously into her.

Squeezing her eyes shut at the sensation, her body responded to him automatically, stretching and expanding to accommodate him. Her core, already hot and filled with need began to feel the satisfaction of their long overdue coupling. Gasping against his mouth as he began to move, Kaylee let her head fall back on the pillow as her mind became consumed with Simon, his touch, his thrusts and hers.

Simon watched her closely, ready to stop the minute she showed any sign of distress, but with thankfulness in his heart, Simon did not see the fear he had suspected, only the pleasure and desire he'd seen so many nights before. Kissing her swollen lips, Simon reached his hand down to where they were joined and pressed his fingers lightly against the nerve cluster that he knew would give Kaylee the best release.

Holding onto his shoulders, Kaylee dug her fingers in as he increased the intensity and speed of his motions, his length entering and leaving her almost completely each time. She cried out his name as he pierced her in a particulary sensitive spot, the fingers he'd placed against her only causing to heighten her sensations.

"Wo de ma," she panted in his ear, letting Simon know she was close. "Simon, don't ever stop, please." It was a plea that only made Simon stiffen more as he felt his own release building, the tension in his gut coiling taut.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, he murmured to her, "Let go, Kaylee." He could feel her ready, had already felt her tighten around him even more, her wetness and heat bringing him precariously close to his fall. "It's okay, bao bei. I've got you."

As a tear rolled down her cheek, Kaylee felt the explosion shudder through her and she whimpered into his mouth with delight and sadness that it was over. And then Simon's end followed hers, spilling hot and deep inside her. Kaylee felt him relax against her, his arms wrapping around her tightly so he could pull her into his embrace as he rolled onto his back.

Still buried deep inside her, Kaylee languished in that unbelievably full and sated feeling that she always felt after they made love; but now, it was just a bit different. She felt better, more relaxed and she knew that the tension she'd been holding onto since the attack had washed away the minute Simon had loved her so completely.

His fingers traced a small pattern on her upper arm as he held her close and Kaylee felt another tear come. It was a few minutes before Simon realized she was crying and with horror and concern plaguing his features, he put a finger under her chin and drew her face up to meet his gaze.

"Kaylee?" he questioned softly, saying a silent prayer that he hadn't hurt her.

Wiping at her cheeks, she smiled at him and said, "It ain't nothin', honey. I'm just …" she trailed off, biting her lip to keep more tears in.

Cradling her face in his hands, Simon asked, "Just what?"

Resting a hand over his heart, Kaylee met his blue-eyed gaze for a few quiet moments before she admitted, "I was just real scared we was never gonna have sex like that again. That I wouldn't be able to-" She broke off abruptly, realizing as she spoke that she was being ridiculous. Taking a deep breath, she told him, "I just feel so much better, lighter, ya know?" Running a light hand through his hair, she told him again, "I love you."

Simon tipped his head forward and kissed her softly, before again pulling her tight to his chest. His cheek resting against her hair, Simon didn't know if it was possible for one's heart to feel so much love for one person. But his did for Kaylee. "I love you too, Kaylee," he whispered, already feeling the pull of sleep, his own tension having ebbed the minute he'd felt her body relax in his arms. "You have no idea how much."

Kaylee smiled against his chest, and then snuggled in for sleep, finding that it was not far away when she was in Simon's arms.

-- --


	19. Epilogue

LIMELIGHT: Epilogue

**LIMELIGHT: Epilogue**

-- --

News Brief: Paquin, Rogers City, 13:35

After deliberating for close to a week, the jury in the Creighton case has come back with a guilty verdict. Charged with one count of aggravated assault and twelve counts of kidnapping and sexual exploitation, Creighton is expected to serve at least seven years in the maximum security facility on Silverhold.

When asked for a statement, Creighton's spokesman issued this promise:

"The ambassador is outraged at this verdict, however, as a member of Government, he respects the right of Paquin's citizens to make their judgment. He and his attorney are already filing for an appeal."

Whether or not the appeal is granted, Chief Becker, the man in charge of bringing the most damning evidence against Creighton to light said, "That man needs to be off the streets for a good long while. I'm hoping that if he's case is granted an appeal, the judge will see that."

The verdict was a bit of a surprise, as many of the key witnesses in the case refused to testify. It is believed by courtroom analyst that the testimony of Kaywinnet Lee Frye, whom the ambassador was convicted of assaulting, is what convinced the jury to send the ambassador to jail.

Miss Frye refused to comment for this story.

-- --

"Oh, you are in for it!"

Kaylee shrieked as she stepped through the high snow drifts, Simon hot on her trail with a freshly packed snowball in his hand. River was lurking somewhere as well, supposedly on Kaylee's side, but the woman had yet to see evidence of that.

Turning to try and hurl another snowball at her boyfriend, Simon reached for Kaylee and pulled her to him, his breath visible in the cold afternoon air. "Gotcha," he murmured, before leaning in to kiss her.

"You don't gotta catch me for that," she said once they'd parted, a familiar light dancing in her eyes.

As Simon chuckled and then moved in to kiss her again, he felt something very wet and very cold drip down from the top of his head and along his neck. Pulling back he saw Kaylee trying to contain her laughter, her hand still poised over his head from where she had just crushed her snowball into his hair.

"Okay, that's it," he told her, and taking the snowball in his hand, he brought it up to her neck and pressed it there, opening a space in the collar of her coat and dropping it onto her back.

Squealing as the cold liquid dripped down her shirt, she tried to back out of his arms as he tickled her. "River!" she yelled. "I need help!"

Even as Simon reached for more snow to make another ball, he felt a cold missile connect with his backside. Straightening immediately, he caught the top of his devil sister's head from where she had taken cover behind the fountain. Frowning at her, Simon turned the frown on Kaylee who was pratically doubled over from laugther at the sight of Simon's wet pants. Her laughter died immediately though as a snowball collided with her chest, thrown from her friend as well.

A new fire burning in her eyes, Kaylee looked to Simon as she reached for some snow. "That's it. It's on now."

Smiling at her, Simon reached for her hand and they both began their slow approach, knowing that it was a pretty futile gesture to sneak up on a reader, but deciding in the name of fair play to give it a shot anyway. Just as they had uncovered her hiding place, both Kaylee and Simon felt a few well-placed snowballs hit their backs and turning they saw Jayne, standing in front of a pile of icy ammunition, grinning widely. "Can't anybody play?" he asked.

Giggling incessantly, both River and Kaylee charged him, while Simon simply hauled more snow into his hands and hurled them at the big man. By the time the sun had set they were all soaked to the skin, their cheeks reddened from the cold and laughter. Making it back to the apartment, they were quickly scolded by Inara for traipsing so much water and slush into her apartment. Standing in the doorway and stripping out of their boots and wet socks, Kaylee leaned against Simon, her eyes dancing wickedly as she thought about the warm shower they would need to take to get rid of this chill.

Just as she was about to whisper this intention into his ear, River stiffened beside her and murmured, "He's coming."

As Kaylee's eyes went wide with this statement, Simon turned to her, keeping a firm arm around her waist as he asked his sister, "Who's coming, mei mei?"

Looking to him with wide and unreadable eyes, River said, "We have to be ready," before bolting into the living room. As Jayne, Simon and Kaylee followed her, each worried for their own reasons, they stepped into the inner room and all stopped dead in their tracks.

Standing tall and glittering in the middle of the room was a pine tree, green and fragrant, bedecked in twinkling lights and shiny bits of paper and homemade ornaments. As Kaylee's hand flew to her mouth to suppress her gasp of surprise, her eyes watering with tears, Mal, Inara and Zoe stopped their work of stringing popcorn and looked up to the newcomers.

Even Simon could not believe the sight. It had been a few years since he'd had a Christmas tree or a Christmas celebration of any kind, but as their stay on Paquin had been extended and this planet's annual cycle had dictated their actions, the approach of the holiday had snuck up on them. Glancing to Kaylee, he saw the tears in her eyes, the ones of joy and love for her family. Squeezing her hand gently, he leaned towards her ear and whispered, "Are you okay?"

Nodding mutely, she stepped away from him and circled the tree, sharing a hug with River who was also standing off to the side to admire it. Coming back around to face the captain and Inara, Kaylee whispered, "I thought you said we had to go 'fore the holiday?"

Shrugging, Mal did his best to look nonchalant as he sat back against the couch, his arm draped behind Inara. "Nah, ain't nobody 'round here gonna hire us for a job at this time o' year. Thought maybe we'd stay, have a real Christmas."

Kaylee nodded once and then rushed towards him, throwing her arms around Inara and Mal and holding them tight. "We don't got the money for this though," she breathed, feeling guilty that her friends had obviously spent their coin to do something nice for all of them.

"We got enough, lil' Kaylee," Mal assured her, patting her back gently.

"Yes and I was able to sell my sister's apartment last week. It was worth quite a bit, so don't worry, mei mei," Inara told her, pulling back from the girl and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're going to have a great Christmas." Glancing down at her and then over her shoulder to River, Simon and Jayne, she said, "But I think the four of you had better get cleaned up and out of those wet clothes. We don't want our holiday ruined by four bouts of pneumonia."

Smiling widely at her, Kaylee kissed her cheek and then Mal's and then took the hand Simon offered to her as they walked towards their room. Pausing, Kaylee looked back to River with a frown who, despite Inara's suggestion, was still gazing at the tree adoringly. "River, sweetie? Didn't you say someone was comin'?"

Everyone tensed as River turned to her friend and nodded once, the hint of a smile on her face. "Who's coming, mei mei?" Simon asked, almost afraid of what her answer might be.

Smiling big, River rolled her eyes in mock annoyance and cocked a thumb over her shoulder at the tree. "Santa."

-- --


End file.
